The midfielder says the Portuguese has the perfect blend of athleticism and technical ability to complement his persistent drive for success

Xabi Alonso has hailed Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo as the most ambitious player he has ever played with.

Ronaldo impressed in Madrid’s 3-1 Copa del Rey win over Barcelona on Tuesday, as he netted twice to help los Blancos to the final of the competition, and the midfielder has moved to shower the Portuguese with praise.

“He is the most ambitious player I have met, with the hunger and desire to score in every game. He is impressive in terms of his athletic qualities and his technical abilities,” the midfielder told Uefa’s official website.

“He is a complete player: he has a great shot; he knows how to put his opponent off balance in one-on-one situations; he’s great at finding space and he has great timing.”

The Spain international then went on to discuss Madrid’s chances in Europe, and stressed that winning a 10th Champions League title is not an obsession for the Santiago Bernabeu side.

“The decima shouldn’t turn into an obsession, because that doesn’t work well for you, but it’s an important objective,” he stressed.

“We know it’s been a number of years since Madrid last won the European Cup, but it isn’t an easy competition to win, because we are competing against the top clubs in Europe.”

Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw by Manchester United in the first leg of their round of 16 tie, with the second instalment at Old Trafford to be played on March 5.