Ronaldo hoping for warm welcome in Barcelona

Ronaldo is hoping the Barcelona crowd will look to the past rather than the present when he runs out at the Nou Camp on Saturday wearing the white shirt of Real Madrid.

Ronaldo enjoyed a spectacular season at Barca from 1996-97, playing the best football of his career in scoring 34 league goals and helping his side win the European Cup Winners Cup.

After five years at Inter Milan he is now back in Spain with the Catalan club's deadly rivals.

His presence on Saturday is likely to bring an angry reaction from the crowd if what happened to his team mate Luis Figo two years ago is anything to go by but the Brazilian remains optimistic about what awaits him.

"We'll see how the fans react," he told reporters at Real Madrid's training ground before the squad left for Barcelona.

"I'm taking it calmly, just thinking about helping my team and scoring goals.

"What happens off the pitch itself doesn't bother me but it would be good to receive a nice welcome. That would be a way of honouring the year that I played here."

Ronaldo last played at the Nou Camp in 1999, when he was part of a Brazilian side that drew 2-2 in a game to celebrate the Barcelona centenary.

"It's a very beautiful ground, with a special atmosphere," Ronaldo said. "It's going to be a significant game for me.

"It would be very satisfying to score there again. I had a spectacular year at Barcelona."

Ronaldo scored twice in midweek to lead Brazil to a 3-2 victory over South Korea in a friendly international.

The long journey back should have no physical effects, he said, but the striker is concerned about the lack of time spent training with the Real squad this week.

"Tiredness shouldn't be a factor but we haven't had enough time to prepare for the game," he said.

"You need a lot longer to get ready for a Barcelona-Real match. I'm sure it's still be a great game, though."