Unloved Ronaldo not for sale

MADRID, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Real Madrid say they have no plans to sell Ronaldo despite media reports that they are thinking of offloading the Brazil striker after his criticism of the club's fans.

'We want to make it clear ... that the board of directors did not discuss the future of Ronaldo or any other player at their meeting yesterday,' the club said in a statement on their website on Wednesday.

'The board analysed the financial situation of the club and also showed its satisfaction with the work being done by the team coach (Juan Ramon Lopez Caro) and the technical staff.' Ronaldo has come under fire in the Spanish media for criticising the fans and threatening to leave the club on the eve of Tuesday's 1-0 Champions League defeat by Arsenal.

'I've never felt at home at the Bernabeu, the fans have never treated me with affection,' the three times World Player of the Year told a news conference on Monday.

'The fans have never accepted me and their reaction is something to take into account when thinking about my future. I've always said that I don't want to be where I'm not loved.'

There were several banners in support of the Brazilian at the Bernabeu during the Arsenal game and fans refrained from whistling him as they had done in the weekend league match against Alaves.

The 29-year-old had a quiet match and barely touched the ball as Real slumped to a first leg defeat in the last 16 tie.

His comments about Real's fans drew an interested reaction from AC Milan, whose president Adriano Galliani told Wednesday's Gazzetta dello Sport that their door was open to the former Inter Milan striker.