Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted that it is "very hard" to constantly be under the spotlight.

All eyes will be on the 28-year-old in tonight's Champions League first-leg round-of-16 clash against his former club Manchester United at the Bernabeu this evening.

While the Portugal captain has claimed that he is "happy", the prolific player has admitted that it is "impossible" to live a normal lifestyle.

"To be this famous is not good, it is very hard," Ronaldo told The Sun. "There's so much stuff that's bad about it. I don't have a normal life. A normal life doesn't exist for me.

"To go in the street, to go shopping, to do whatever I want, it's impossible. Wherever I go in the world people recognise me, everywhere you go. So fame brings good things and bad things and you have to adapt and you have to find the balance. I know now how to deal and cope with it. It's still tough, but it's okay."

Ronaldo has lent his name and face to Armani underwear campaigns and Time Force watches throughout his career.