Ronaldo confirms knee op

Ronaldo will jet back to Brazil next week to undergo surgery on his troublesome knee.

The burly striker has been troubled by tibial calcification for the best part of a year and Brazil's team doctor stated earlier in the week that surgery was unavoidable.

This prompted Real Madrid to issue a denial, but Ronaldo has now confirmed he will head back to Brazil for the 'minor procedure'.

"It is better that they operate on the calcifications thereby removing the problems they have caused me over the past eight months," Ronaldo said in his column in El Mundo Deportivo on Friday.

"I will travel to Brazil shortly to see if I will finally have surgery to sort out this minor problem.

"I won't be out for very long because it is not a serious operation and I think the benefits will be greater than if they don't operate."

Real face Real Salt Lake in a friendly on August 12 and an operation would in all probability rule the forward out of the game.