Ronaldo had become arguably the best player in the Madrid squad over the years and left the club as its record goalscorer.  By joining Juve, Ronaldo ended a successful nine-year spell with Madrid. During that time, he made 438 appearances in all competitions for Los Blancos and scored 450 goals. His last game for Los Blancos came during the club’s 3-1 victory over Liverpool during the Champions league final.

The 34-year-old is believed to have been at odds with Madrid President Florentino Perez but opted not to say bad things about his former employer in the media.

When he was speaking about leaving Madrid to join Juventus, Ronaldo said: “I felt it inside the club, especially from the president, that they no longer considered me the same way that they did in the start,” he said. “In the first four or five years there I had the feeling of being ‘Cristiano Ronaldo’. Less afterwards. The president looked at me through eyes that didn’t want to say the same thing, as if I was no longer indispensable to them, if you know what I mean.”

Embed from Getty Images

It is now perhaps clear that the reason as to why Ronaldo left Madrid was because he was feeling undervalued at the club that he helped win two La Liga titles, four Champions League titles and two Copa del Reys.

Ronaldo is now approaching the latter years of his career but he still appears to be as hungry as ever to carry on winning trophies. Despite his advancing years, CR7 has so far scored 24 goals from 36 games in all competitions for the Old Lady of Italian football. That is a record which even many footballers at the prime of their career would be proud of.

Will Ronaldo finally help Juve to break their duck and win the Champions League? Only time will tell. It will not be surprising to see the football maestro carry on playing the beautiful game until he is in his 40s. He still appears to be as hungry as ever to carry on playing the game at the highest level.

The post Why Exactly Did Ronaldo Leave Madrid? first appeared on Cristiano Ronaldo Fan | News, Photos, Blog, Pics, Videos.

The likes of Mauricio Pochettino and Jurgen Klopp have been named in the international sports media as potential replacements for Zidane, with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez said to be keen on the former option, who is the current manager of Tottenham in the Premier League.

However, amidst constant doubt over his future at the Santiago Bernabeu, Real’s undisputed number one star, Ronaldo, may also have some influence in Los Blancos’ decision. And, according to Spanish publication Diario Gol, the Portugal captain has his heart set on playing under a seemingly unlikely manager next.

Former Denmark international and Real Madrid veteran Michael Laudrup, whose managerial stints have included spells at Mallorca and Swansea, is a 33/1 outsider for the job when betting with Bethard and well down Perez’s shortlist – if even on it at all. However, Ronaldo is said to prefer the 53-year-old over the likes of Klopp, Pochettino and Arsene Wenger due to his technical prowess as both a player and coach, and his willingness to respect the senior players in Madrid’s squad.

Embed from Getty Images

Laudrup has been at the helm of Qatari side Al-Rayyan since 2016, having been managing in the country since parting ways with Swansea in 2014. Certainly, if Real are to acquiesce to the demands of their influential forward, the Dane would surely be tempted to a return to Europe to manage one of the world’s greatest teams.

For his part, Ronaldo cast further doubt on his own future with Los Blancos following his side’s 3-1 Champions League final triumph over Liverpool last week. After initially speaking sentimentally about the club, telling reporters “it has been very nice being at Madrid” and that he would confirm his plans in “in the coming days”, Cristiano has since backtracked somewhat in subsequent interviews, but importantly, has yet to commit his future to Real by putting pen to paper on a long-tabled contract extension.

It is highly unlikely now that the Portugal captain will make an announcement on where he sees his future until after the World Cup concludes next month, but Real may use the intervening time to do everything they can to keep their prize asset. The first step towards achieving that goal could be to appoint a manager Ronaldo sees himself working with.

The post Ronaldo Names Preferred Successor to Zidane as Madrid Coach first appeared on Cristiano Ronaldo Fan | News, Photos, Blog, Pics, Videos.

“We will talk in the future. It’s been really beautiful to play for Real Madrid. I’ll give a response in the coming days,” the 33-year-old told BeIN Sports, seemingly speaking of his time with the club in the past tense, as if a possible departure is on the cards this summer. Inevitably, this led to the player being pressed further on the topic in later interviews.

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos was reportedly angered by those comments, although Cristiano has apparently apologised since, both to his colleagues and publicly. “Maybe it wasn’t the perfect timing to talk about personal things,” the Independent quoted the five-times Champions League winner, following comments during a radio interview, as the team and fans continued to celebrate their latest European triumph.

Nevertheless, the stellar forward did seemingly leave the door open to further speculation surrounding his future. “I’ll talk in a week when I am with the national team, because I don’t want to take this top moment away from Real Madrid,” he concluded. Portugal will be reliant on their veteran captain dazzling at the tournament, and with sports betting now being more accessible to consumers than ever before, Ronaldo – who has 81 international goals to his name – is likely to be a popular choice for next goalscorer as part of the tournament’s in-play markets.

Meanwhile, the media debates continue to rage and everyone appears to have an opinion. “I’ve heard so many times that he wants to go, that he’s staying, that they’re negotiating,” observed La Liga president Javier Tebas, in comments highlighted by Marca in the Spanish capital. “He’ll be playing for Real Madrid next year, I think,” the Spanish football supremo insisted.

Image Source: @ESPNFC via Twitter

Those thoughts from Tebas perhaps capture the reality of the situation, rather than the smoke and mirrors game playing out in many of the press stories. Indeed, it’s not the first time that Cristiano and Real Madrid have been in this situation, which has usually been resolved amicably with club president, Florentino Perez, by the player penning a new and improved contract.

This essentially appears to be the crux of the matter. Ronaldo has been an integral part of the club’s remarkable and unstoppable European success over recent years. However, his salary has been surpassed by those of stars such as Lionel Messi at Barcelona and Neymar at Paris Saint-Germain. Reading between the lines of the various reports, all the Real Madrid number 7 wants is parity in keeping with his stature in the game.

It’s not necessarily a question of the money itself, either. Simply the recognition that as the most successful footballer in the world, with more individual honours to his name than Messi, Neymar, or anyone else for that matter, the club should endeavour to keep that in mind during the latest round of contract negotiations. Both are part of a mutually beneficial relationship that has no good reason not to continue.

With at least another two or three years of top quality performances still in the tank, Cristiano knows that the best location for continued success remains at Real Madrid. Leaving while still at his peak, quite frankly, would be a nonsense. No doubt there’ll be plenty more gossip over the summer, but in the end, it’s hard to imagine Ronaldo wearing anything other than the famous white strip, come the start of the 2018-19 season in La Liga.

The post Smoke and Mirrors Surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo’s Future at Real Madrid first appeared on Cristiano Ronaldo Fan | News, Photos, Blog, Pics, Videos.

The big question is, will Ronaldo play and if so, what impact will he have on the game?

Our friends over at matched betting service Profit Accumulator have given us an overview of his chances of starting and also an assessment as to the impact he might have (if he does play).

Is he injured?

Cristiano only managed to play the first 45 mins of Real Madrid’s last El Clasico with Barcelona. He was substituted at half-time with a suspected ankle injury.

It’s unclear whether this is a recurrence of an old injury, or a new one – but all Real fans will be holding their breath to see if he is fit to start the biggest match in club football.

The good news is that his manager Zinedine Zidane has said that he will be at ‘150%’.

Last Thursday, Zidane said this:

“Everyone will be okay for the final – Cristiano, Isco and Carvajal. Cristiano is the one who will be out longest, as it just happened two days ago. But he is good, he’s walking normally. It’s incredible that he’s already walking. That shows his ambition, his desire to play. We do not know when he will be back with the group, or if he will be back for Villarreal, but it would be perfect to have everyone ready for that final La Liga game. Nobody will have any problems for the final, they will all be at 150%.”

What will his impact be if he does play?

Embed from Getty Images
Ronaldo is often considered to be the best player in the world, or at the very least a close second to Messi.

His record in the Champions League is unrivalled and he holds many records. Here are some of the Champions league records that Cristiano currently holds:

• 4 Champions League winners medals.
• Featured in 5 Champions League finals. A feat bettered only by Maldini, who has 6.
• Record number of Champions League goals: 116
• Record number of Champions League final goals: 4

That’s just a selection of his records as well, there are numerous more. It’s safe to say that he is a big game player, so he will definitely have an impact.

Who are favourites to win the final?

Madrid are chasing their third successive Champions League crown, having become the only team to successfully defend the prize since the new format of the competition was introduced in 1992-93. The last team to win the European Cup three times in succession was Bayern Munich between 1974-76.

The odds are currently in their favour. Madrid are 8/11 favourites to win, whilst Liverpool are 23/17 to win. On the night, though, anything can happen. Liverpool have had an impressive run so far, knocking out some big teams… but then, again so have Madrid.

Experience may well play a big part in who wins and if that’s the case, Real have the upper hand. Not least because of Ronaldo. He really is a trendsetter when it comes to Champions League statistics.

Who do you think will win the Champions League final? Will Ronaldo have a big impact?

The post What Impact Will Cristiano Ronaldo Have on the Champions League Final? first appeared on Cristiano Ronaldo Fan | News, Photos, Blog, Pics, Videos.

In those 152 matches, Ronaldo has scored an astonishing 120 goals – 20 more than close rival Lionel Messi. You just cannot argue against Ronaldo’s Champions League record.

Prior to Real Madrid’s semi-final first leg victory over Bayern Munich, Ronaldo had scored in 11 consecutive Champions League matches. He has bagged 15 European goals in 2018/19 alone and he could feature prominently in the final.

Real booked their spot in the showpiece for the third year in a row; Ronaldo scored twice in last season’s final against Juventus and scored the winning penalty in the shootout with Atletico Madrid in 2016.

There is a real affinity between Ronaldo and this competition; he relishes the opportunity to step up on the biggest stage of all. Quite often, the best players in the business fail to shine in the Champions League but not Ronaldo.

The Portugal star holds many European records, including most goals in a single season (17 back in 2013/14) and the joint-most Champions League final victories with four. Ronaldo now has a chance to rewrite the history books and win the coveted trophy for the fifth time.

Ronaldo had to deal with his fair share of criticism earlier this season; the Portuguese scored in just two of Real’s first 10 league games – Zinedine Zidane’s men were slow to get going in the 2017/18 La Liga title race.

With the race for top spot now done and dusted, Real will try to pip Atletico to second place and punters may fancy the 16/5 in bet365’s La Liga betting odds for Madrid to win at Camp Nou. Winning away at Barcelona will be difficult but if anyone can do it, it’s Real.

A fifth triumph would cement Ronaldo’s status as the most successful player in Champions League history. Motivated by both individual and team glory, the Real Madrid star could be the difference maker for Zidane’s side in the final.

Winning Europe’s elite club competition would also help Ronaldo in his Ballon d’Or bid. Lionel Messi and Liverpool’s Mo Salah are hot on his heels but Champions League glory would give Ronaldo’s aspirations a much-needed boost.

14 – Cristiano Ronaldo has made only 14 touches in the 1st half against Bayern Munchen, less than any other player. Diesel. pic.twitter.com/yvB7nBxas1

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) May 1, 2018

With 25 goals in his previous 16 European games, Ronaldo is likely to play a pivotal role for Real in the Kyiv showpiece on May 26^th. The Portugal star was quiet against Bayern, especially in the second leg. According to Opta, Ronaldo had 14 touches in the first half of that second leg – fewer than anybody else on the pitch. That won’t be happening again in the final; you can be sure of that.

Cristiano Ronaldo is a once-in-a-lifetime footballer. The Champions League is his playground and football fans from all over the globe will be expecting Ronaldo to shine in the final. If he plays at his brilliant best, Real Madrid will be very difficult to beat.

The post Cristiano Ronaldo: The Champions League’s Greatest Ever Player first appeared on Cristiano Ronaldo Fan | News, Photos, Blog, Pics, Videos.

This friendship was demonstrated following Real Madrid’s triumph against Juventus in the Champions League last week to reach the semi-finals of this season’s tournament. Los Blancos are now 2/1 favourites in the Sports Betting Markets to win European football’s elite prize.

With Juve 3-0 up going into second-half stoppage time, it looked as if we were going to have another Champions League classic on our hands after Madrid won the first leg 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

However, it was Ronaldo’s spot-kick that led to Madrid advancing after Mehdi Benatia was penalised for his challenge on Lucas Vazquez.

Embed from Getty Images

The 40-year-old Buffon was furious at referee Michael Oliver’s decision to award a spot-kick and was awarded with a red card for showing dissent. Buffon made his frustrations known after the game, even going on to say that Oliver has a “garbage bin” in place of his heart.

It easy to see why Buffon is upset. This is in all probability the Italian legend’s last ever season as a professional footballer.  However, the keeper can still play at the highest level as he has proven this season and following his decision to come out of international retirement and play for Italy during the latest international break, one would not put it past Buffon to play for one more season.

Throughout his career, the Champions League winner’s medal is also one that has eluded him. He has been a losing finalist three times in his career, in 2003, 2015 and 2017.

Ronaldo: ‘I have a lot of respect for Buffon’

Buffon appeared to be calmer after Ronaldo appeared and interrupted one of his interviews, offering his condolences. The 33-year-old reportedly told the Italian: “I am sorry.”

Ronaldo also went on to praise the 2006 World Cup winner Buffon for being one of the greats of the game and expressed hope that the match would not have been his last Champions League appearance. “I have a lot of respect for Buffon, the words he has said about me, and what I’ve said about him,” Ronaldo told RTP.

“He is a great goalkeeper and I hope this is not his last Champions League appearance, he is one of the best goalkeepers ever.”

The post What Ronaldo Told Buffon After Juve’s Champions League Elimination first appeared on Cristiano Ronaldo Fan | News, Photos, Blog, Pics, Videos.

Overall, the public perception of Ronaldo is very mixed, despite him currently being even-money to win the 2018 Ballon d’Or, which may prove a prudent use of a coupon code. Below are some of the main reasons people dislike Ronaldo.

1. Ability

Ronaldo has earned himself millions in cash as a result of his abilities on the pitch and has led Manchester United, Real Madrid and Portugal to major football trophies. Some people hate him simply because they are jealous of the money that he has and the success that he has achieved.

2. Arrogance

It can be argued that Ronaldo does not always answer questions in the most humble way. When asked about why opposition fans jeer him, he said: “It is because I am handsome, rich and a great player, because I am envied. I have no other explanation,”

He also once said: “They hate me because I am too good.’” While this may be somewhat true in some cases, it is also not the most humble thing to say.

Embed from Getty Images

3. Behaviour

During the 2006 World Cup, Ronaldo got his then Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney sent off after the former Evertonian appeared to stamp on Ricardo Carvalho. After Rooney and Ronaldo had an exchange on the pitch, Ronaldo winked towards his team’s dugout and this was a questionable behavioural decision.

“Sometimes you do things because emotions are running high, but Wayne is my good friend,” Ronaldo told News of the World. “I can’t regret it because I think the whole experience made me stronger.”

4. Ego

Ronaldo has certainly been known to perform over-the-top celebrations at times after scoring a goal. Ronaldo’s past celebrations have included leg-muscle flexes as well as a reference to the number of goals he has scored.

What is more is that he opened a museum dedicated to himself and his achievements in Madeira, Portugal.

5. Clubs

The best times of Ronaldo’s career have been spent with Manchester United and Real Madrid, who are two polarising clubs in that they also have their equal share of lovers and haters. Real have managed to win 32 league titles and ten Champions League titles through their superior transfer budget compared to the majority of teams. Some argue that they have bought their success.

The post Why Do So Many People Hate Cristiano Ronaldo? first appeared on Cristiano Ronaldo Fan | News, Photos, Blog, Pics, Videos.

At 33 years old, Ronaldo has the fitness of a 23-year-old in peak condition and still looks as hungry as ever to play in every minute of every game. It will certainly not be surprising if he carries on playing at the highest level until the age of 40 or beyond.

When Ronaldo was just 15 years old, he told his teammates that he would one day be the best footballer in the world.  To date, Ronaldo has won five Ballon d’Or awards and has also gone on to lead Real Madrid to three Champions League titles.

Embed from Getty Images

One of the most impressive displays of Ronaldo’s leadership ability came in 2016, when he led a mediocre Portugal squad to Euro 2016 glory. Portugal managed to overcome the pre-tournament favourites and hosts France in the final 1-0. With Ronaldo leading his country once again, Portugal are 25/1 to win the 2018 World Cup, with punters able to maximise their stake through the use of a bonus code generator.

Ability to prove his doubters wrong

Ronaldo also has an uncanny ability to prove people wrong and this makes him one of the all-time greats. Many felt that he would never win a major title at international level due to the fact that Portugal have been arguably been a one-man team since Luis Figo retired following the 2006 World Cup.

Many people also thought that Ronaldo’s career was on a downward spiral due to Real Madrid’s performances this season and after he had a less-than-desired impact during the first half of the season. However, he has since responded in fantastic fashion during the second half of this campaign and currently sits on 41 goals from 38 games in all competitions.

The former Sporting Lisbon and Manchester United star also became the first player across all of the top five leagues in Europe this season to surpass the 40 goals in all competitions mark.

Ronaldo has a never-say-die attitude and this was proven by the way in which he never lost faith in the Portugal national team. If Ronaldo wanted, he could have retired from international duty to focus solely on making money and winning things at club level, but he did not.

Will he be able to lead Portugal to glory during the 2018 World Cup in Russia? We will have to wait and see.

The post How Has Ronaldo Managed to Become Arguably the Best of All-Time? first appeared on Cristiano Ronaldo Fan | News, Photos, Blog, Pics, Videos.

In terms of Portugal, he’s up there with the great Eusebio. In world football, he’s on a par with Messi, Maradona and maybe even Pele. His achievements will stand the test of time.

All good things must come to an end, though, and it is thought that now, at 33 years old, perhaps his light is beginning to fade. His high-energy displays must take a physical toll on the player and that is more evident now than ever.

His game has changed as he’s matured, something every footballer must go through. Once upon a time, he was a flair player, a tricky winger at Manchester United with little end product.

Then, he switched to the old ‘inside forward’ role, not quite a striker but not quite a winger. It didn’t really matter where you put him, as he developed, he became the unstoppable force that has driven the great Real Madrid through the last decade. His goal scoring ratio has been phenomenal, his presence on the world stage unrelenting and dominant.

Embed from Getty Images

Recently, he had to move more central as age began to knock on the door. Many great players change from high-tempo roles as their body starts to let them down. Wayne Rooney dropped further back into midfield; Ronaldo simply became more central. He adopted the role of a deadly striker, lacking deadly pace but still lethal in the box.

Ronaldo is still the Ballon d’Or holder; he’s still the best in the world, but is he truly as good as he has been in the past? With his European Cup win for Portugal, you got the sense that he’d finally achieved everything he wanted, including international honours for his country. All great players are judged both domestically and internationally and, whilst he had no points to prove at Madrid, he still had Portugal success to master. With that done, has he resigned himself to the fact his career is winding down?

Ronaldo has 430 Madrid goals from 390 appearances, a ratio that is beyond comprehension. He is the stuff of legends, a player whom it has been a joy to watch throughout his career. This season, he has 41 goals from 39 appearances but just 22 from 29 games in La Liga. Last season, he struck 55 times in 55 games but just 25 in 38 La Liga outings.

Embed from Getty Images

The numbers don’t lie; his ratio is as good as ever. In February and March 2018, he scored a whopping 17 goals in just eight games, including three against Paris St Germain in the Champions League. He’s scored 12 in Europe’s elite club competition, four more than his nearest rival, Wissam Yedder. His Real Madrid side are behind Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Barcelona in Betsafe’s online betting odds but, with the master in their ranks, they have something at least two of those sides do not – a bonafide legend.

Throughout his career, Ronaldo has scored goals and, whilst he’s switched his game around to accommodate physical changes, he remains as lethal as ever. The question posed was ‘is age catching up with Cristiano Ronaldo’? He’s currently enjoying the same scoring ratio domestically as he did last season; he’s the current leading scorer in the Champions League by some distance and he’s preparing for yet another major tournament with Portugal. The answer is absolutely not.

The post Is Age Catching Up with Ronaldo This Season? first appeared on Cristiano Ronaldo Fan | News, Photos, Blog, Pics, Videos.

It is not a search for a supporting cast, with Ronaldo’s tendency to provide assists directly or as a result of his movement a too often overlooked part of his game. Rather, Real Madrid must find stars who can exist on equal billing with Ronaldo. Although Lionel Messi has been a dominant force at Barcelona, his partnership of equals (or near equals) with Luis Suarez and Neymar delivered a frontline of formidable nature. Gareth Bale’s injury concerns have blighted his progress, Isco remains unfairly unfancied as a regular starter and Karim Benzema is anonymous on too many occasions.

Step forward, Mohamed Salah? The Egyptian attacker is enjoying a season of unprecedented success with Liverpool, breaking a multitude of goalscoring records. While Salah had shown a great deal of promise earlier in his career and established himself as a livewire forward with Roma, few could have anticipated his consistently brilliant performances in Liverpool red. Barney Ronay with The Guardian is one of many commentators who has admitted that they misjudged just how successful Salah could be. On many occasions, he has been the difference between winning and losing, a burden that Ronaldo knows all too well from his career.

Could Salah be receiving passes from Ronaldo next season? Source: Liverpool FC via Facebook.

While Salah will be keen to prove that this season at Anfield is not an anomaly and that his burgeoning relationship with Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane can match any attacking trio in the game, he will be conscious that the top players are ultimately judged on their trophies. Liverpool can be devastatingly effective, but they are a world away from Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City; odds of 275/1 with Sportsbet.io to take the Premier League title in this campaign are an indictment of the chasm between City and the contenders. Guardiola is someone who has a reputation for building legacies, something else that Ronaldo knows all too well. A Liverpool team that calls Jordan Henderson a regular part of its midfield is not going to bridge that gap anytime soon.

Salah’s success inevitably has the big clubs calling, even though he only has one season of world-class form; he is already being linked with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona by The Telegraph, and Madrid cannot afford to let the attacker join their rivals. Now may be the most propitious time for Real Madrid to swoop for an attacker to dovetail with Ronaldo. Another season of success and Salah’s price tag will soar, while a season of relative indifference could mean that Jurgen Klopp has failed to create the necessary circumstances for Salah to thrive. Those circumstances would be undeniably improved by playing alongside Ronaldo; both have the ability to be selfless, and both terrify defenders. The defence may think they have a handle on one threat, but that will create space for the other to break free.

Ronaldo has intelligently adapted his game to his age, but one thing that will inevitably continue to decline is that once blistering pace. Salah has pace to burn and can do the running for Ronaldo, while Ronaldo’s movement can create space for the Egyptian forward who loves to drive into the space of the conventional number nine as much as he loves wingplay. While Ronaldo has shown no sign of relenting, he will be aware that his remaining time at the top is diminishing. The age of Ronaldo and Messi will soon pass for both players, and to the immense sadness of the footballing world. But Ronaldo still has a keen ferocity to succeed, and a signing of the calibre of Salah will help Real Madrid banish the less desirable memories of this season and strive for new heights. When Ronaldo finally does call it a day, a player like Salah could be a worthy candidate to become the new star synonymous with Real Madrid.

The post Ronaldo and Salah Could Join Forces Next Season first appeared on Cristiano Ronaldo Fan | News, Photos, Blog, Pics, Videos.