Ramos heading to United with renewed belief

By FOX Sports Staff

The defender scored the winning goal in the 82nd minute as he beat his marker and directed Luka Modric's corner perfectly into the top right corner. The scores had been level at 1-1 for over an hour as earlier Karim Benzema and Lionel Messi had scored goals for their respective sides in the first half.

The result was even more impressive when considering the fact that five first-team regulars, including the mercurial Cristiano Ronaldo, had been placed on the bench by home coach Jose Mourinho. 

Speaking after the game, the Spain international was in a jubiliant mood and sent a warning to the Premier League leaders that two successive triumphs over their arch-rivals - Madrid also secured a 3-0 win over Barcelona at the Camp Nou on Wednesday night - has put his side in the most confident of moods.

"After the two Clasicos we’re going to Manchester believing that we can win, with all due respect to the opponents, who are a great team. It is a very special competition for Real Madrid fans," Ramos, who was also the captain on the night, told the assembled media in the post-match press conference.

"The Clasicos are always different and we are proud of the job that we did. We are pleased because we used different players from the squad, players who have had fewer minutes on the pitch and they have given their all and we got all three points. 

"Winning the league was more impossible with a 16-point gap, [but] we have cut the gap and we have to keep fighting."

Madrid face United for their Champions League last-16 second leg at Old Trafford on Tuesday night with the first leg having ended a 1-1 draw.