Pepe hails Cristiano Ronaldo and defends himself
Real Madrid's Portuguese defender Pepe hailed his team-mate for club and country, Cristiano Ronaldo, and also denied he himself was violent or impulsive.
"People like (him) are unique, people blessed by god. He was blessed by god and he was able to transform himself into one of the best in the history of football," said Pepe, in the Portuguese Football Federation's magazine.
"Cristiano is the best and is lightyears ahead of anyone else," added the defender, who said Ronaldo is "a calm, hardworking and honest person". He also highlighted his "capacity for delivery, professionalism and dedication."
Pepe was questioned about his reputation on the pitch. "I'm marked out for what happened in that game against Getafe (aggresion against Getafe players Casquero and Albin in 2009).
"I paid the penalty I had to pay and, after that moment, my record of yellows and reds speaks for itself.
"It's very nice for the fans to see a defender dribbled past, the ball put over him, through his legs, but I don't like it and, to avoid this, I go strongly for the ball, always defending my territory."
