Having won a third European Cup in succession thanks to Gareth Bale’s second half brace against Liverpool on Saturday, it wouldn’t be unfair to suggest that all would be rosy for Real Madrid. Of course, drama is never far away for the Spanish giants, with both Gareth Bale and former Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo quickly making their dissatisfaction with life at the Bernabeu clear barely minutes after full time in Kiev.
As per the below quotes carried by The Guardian, the Portuguese’s latest comments are loaded with the sort of language that should make ears prick across the continent:
“It’s been very nice to be at Madrid. In the coming days I will give a response to the fans because they actually have always been at my side.”
Given how frequently Ronaldo has openly whinged about life at the Spanish giants, these latest comments are hardly a surprise. Real’s mooted pursuit of Neymar from Paris Saint Germain might also have damaged the former United number 7’s ego, which has famously been easily bruised.
United fans might be bracing themselves for the latest batch of rumours linking Ronaldo with a return to Old Trafford after these comments, given how this particular transfer story has rattled on since he left for Madrid in 2009. Despite his star status, and a remarkable return to form that saw him notch 44 goals last season, United’s interest seems to have significantly cooled over the last few summers, and a move for a 33-year old isn’t nearly as attractive as it used to be. The fee and wages required to secure his services would be astronomical, and if Real’s pursuit of Neymar is genuine, then Ronaldo could do far worse than head to the French capital, where he would most certainly be the star.
United surely require more match-winners after a disappointing second season under Jose Mourinho, but adding Ronaldo to the team now, given his age, the physicality of the Premier League and his compatriot’s hardened team-centric ethic, could arguably create more problems than it solves.
