Cristiano Ronaldo has travelled out with the rest of the Manchester United squad to Spain ahead of the Champions League match against Villarreal on Tuesday.

The Portugal winger was considered doubtful after suffering a leg injury in the draw at Aston Villa on Saturday.

However, he trained with the group on Monday morning and showed no ill effects from his knock and looks likely to feature at some stage in the match.

Darren Fletcher also trained after missing the game against Villa because of a knee problem.

Goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar did not travel - it was understood he was rested and either Ben Foster and Tomasz Kuszczak will play instead.

United will be without Dimitar Berbatov (hamstring) and Wes Brown (ankle) as well as long-term injury victims Paul Scholes and Owen Hargreaves.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has defended Ronaldo to the hilt in his relationship with rival supporters.

The winger was pictured reacting angrily at Aston Villa on Saturday as he left the field after the Barclays Premier League game.

Portuguese international Ronaldo picked up a leg injury in the 0-0 draw and was the subject of taunts from the crowd.

That led to suggestions he was struggling to come to terms with his status as the best player in the world - but Ferguson scoffed at that idea.

Speaking ahead of the Villarreal match on Tuesday, the Scot said: "It depends on what side of the fence you are on really.

"There has been some criticism of Ronaldo that he couldn't take it on Saturday.

"I wonder how many people take it when you are walking down the street and so many people hit you over the head with a baton? How many times can you take it?

"Tell me someone who likes getting abused? Will you please point them out to me.

"I thought he showed admirable courage on taking the ball on Saturday. He always does.

"He was tackled many, many times, most of the time fairly but there were a few occasions when he didn't get the right decisions.

"That is the mantle you carry when you are a great player. He knows that so he has to get on with it.

"He is a great player and he is a target for fans. But it is not a problem."

Ronaldo has pleaded to play against the Spanish side - but Ferguson has his doubts about that.

He said: "Cristiano got a lot of whacks on Saturday. He got a few cuts but nothing serious.

"He wants to play and that is a problem. I would rather leave him out. When players show that enthusiasm to play you don't deter them you encourage it."

Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini insists his side's main aim this week is qualification for the Champions League knock-out stages and that anything else would be a bonus.

The Spanish side welcome United to the Estadio El Madrigal knowing that Tuesday's result will more than likely decide who tops Champions League Group E, with both teams currently on eight points - four more than Celtic and AaB.

The pair kicked off their campaign with a draw at Old Trafford and a similar result on Tuesday would ensure qualification for both. Pellegrini insists he would be satisfied with that.

"It's clear that our first aim is to qualify then to be first," he said. "If we are, all the better, but if the draw qualifies us, I will be happy.

"Both teams want to be first and they're going out onto the pitch with that intention, but what's really important is to qualify which we will equally do if we are second.

"What's also certain is that if we remain first it will be a great advantage playing the second leg of the next round at home."

Everything is pointing to a draw, with the last three meetings between the two - who were also pitted against each other in the group stages of the 2005/06 competition - ending goaless.

Despite knowing that a draw would see both sides through to the next round, Pellegrini insists neither side will go out onto the pitch with that in mind.

"We're not going to go for a draw because that would be very dangerous against a side with Manchester United's potential," he continued.

"If at the end we draw and for that reason we qualify it will be a good result, but we're not thinking about that.

"I know that in the three previous meetings neither team have been capable of winning, but in this match there is an extra motivation, it will be different."

It is likely both teams had an eye on the match this weekend as Villarreal lost their unbeaten record when they fell to a 3-0 defeat at home to Valladolid, while United drew at Aston Villa.

However, Pellegrini is confident of a better performance tomorrow.

"You shouldn't drag things out of proportion," he said, "The team are going through an exceptional period.

"Manchester United always go out there to win and that points to a good game. The key to winning it will be to keep the ball, seeing that they have a style of play that is more direct than ours."