The coach does not expect his star forward to struggle with pressure on Wednesdady and revealed he was “holding back tears” upon being announced as Real Madrid boss

Carlo Ancelotti has warned Liverpool fans they are wasting their time if they taunt former Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo on Wednesday night.

Real Madrid face Brendan Rodgers’ men in their latest Champions League group stage encounter at Anfield – one of the few major grounds at which the Portugal international is yet to score.

Ronaldo has struck twice in nine games against Liverpool, but is currently on an incredible run of goalscoring form having found the back of the net 20 times in just 13 appearances for club and country this term.

And Madrid boss Ancelotti – who on Monday ruled out the prospect of the 29-year-old ever returning to United – believes nothing can possibly faze his star man and even thinks the hostility on Merseyside could work in his favour.

“No, he won’t be more motivated because it’s Liverpool,” Ancelotti told The Sun.

“Cristiano is always super-motivated. But, if the atmosphere is hostile, this motivates him more.”

Ancelotti – who lifted the Champions League and the Copa del Rey in his first season as Madrid boss last term – looked back at his maiden campaign in charge of the club at Tuesday’s press conference and revealed how he came close to tears upon being given the job in the summer of 2013.

“I remember I was trying to hold back tears on the day of my presentation as coach of Real Madrid,” the former Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan boss added.

“I knew it was the largest in the world, the world’s largest club and was professionally it’s been a great pleasure to coach this team.”

Madrid have won their opening two group stage games against Ludogorets and Basel, and victory on Wednesday could move them to within touching distance of a place in the knockout stages of the competition.

The Welsh winger and Spanish defender have been omitted through injury from Carlo Ancelotti’s 20-man squad he is taking to Anfield for Wednesday’s European game

Real Madrid have left out injury-hit pair Gareth Bale and Sergio Ramos from their squad to face Liverpool on Wednesday.

Bale was benched against Levante on Saturday and the European champions confirmed he was struggling with a muscular injury on Monday.

The Welshman’s absence from their midweek Champions League clash with Liverpool is arguably not as significant as if he fails to recover full fitness for this coming Saturday’s Clasico at home to Barcelona, when Carlo Ancelotti will be hoping his regular starter will be back in top shape.

Ramos, meanwhile, missed Spain’s internationals due to a muscular injury and also played no part in the Blancos’ 5-0 victory at the weekend. As a result, he is also a question mark to start at the Santiago Bernabeu against Lionel Messi and Co. on October 25.

Bale’s void is expected to be filled by Isco, while Nacho filled in for Ramos last time out although Raphael Varane’s return to the selection suggests he might be favoured if fully fit.

Karim Benzema is back in the 20-man squad having been rested with a foot injury against Levante and is expected to step back into the XI at the expense of on-loan forward Javier Hernandez.

Real Madrid squad in full: Casillas, Navas, Pacheco; Varane, Pepe, Marcelo, Carvajal, Arbeloa, Nacho; Khedira, Kroos, James, Modric, Isco, Illarra, Medran, M. Llorente; Ronaldo, Benzema, Hernandez.

The 25-year-old is adamant that he is well within acceptable weight bounds and believes that the QPR manager is attempting to undermine his good relationship with the fans

Adel Taarabt says AC Milan train better than QPR and feels training at the London club should be more intense as he hit back at Harry Redknapp for claiming he is overweight.

Taarabt, who spent the second half of last season with the Serie A side, came in for criticism following the the Rs’ 3-2 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday when his boss was asked to explain his absence.

An irate Redknapp said of the Moroccan: “He’s not fit to play football, unfortunately. He played in a reserve team game the other day and I could have run about more than he did.

“So no, I can’t pick him. I can’t keep protecting people who don’t want to run about and train, who are about three stone overweight.”

However, Taarabt is adamant that there is no truth to the claim that he has gained weight, instead suggesting that the blame lies with Redknapp and his slack training style.

He fumed to the Daily Mail: “I am a professional – this is not about retaliation, this is about protecting my reputation.

“I played in that reserve game for 90 minutes and, if he didn’t think I was running, he could have taken me off. Maybe I didn’t perform like I could because it was a reserve team game and I was protecting myself.

“After [a 2-0 loss to] West Ham [prior to the international break] he said all of the team is not fit. After Liverpool, because the performance was so good, he said everything was perfect – what, in one week, he changed the fitness? Impossible.

“The training sessions aren’t the same standard as AC Milan, or what I would expect under another manager. They are not as intense, the players aren’t as motivated. It is the same as we used to do at Tottenham years ago.

“I just think that obviously at QPR the fans love me, I love QPR and I love the fans. They are my club. You can’t break the relationship with me and the fans. He wants to get the fans against me.

“I don’t like the food at the training ground but eat healthily like every other player. Simple. My heaviest weight at Milan was 86kg, my lightest 84kg – now I’m 85kg. It’s not true to say I’m not fit. He tried to give an excuse.

“I was desperate to play before the game [against Liverpool]. I was fuming when I didn’t play. I love football, I go crazy when I don’t play. Why did he talk about someone not involved in that game? The journalist was doing his job and asking if I was injured. He should have said ‘when he is fit he will play’. He is an experienced manager and he should have controlled that situation.”

Taarabt says that Les Ferdinand, recently appointed as QPR’s head of football operations, and coach Glenn Hoddle believe in his talent.

“I spoke with Les Ferdinand and he told me ‘what a player you are – you should be in the team every time. I followed you at Milan and you were fantastic’,” the midfielder added.

“Les doesn’t speak to us in training but he watches us and then goes to watch the kids as well. He knows me from my days at Tottenham so we have a good relationship.

“The coaches don’t have any influence on Harry – none. They are there just to be there. Glenn Hoddle loves me but I don’t know if Harry listens to him.”