Cristiano Ronaldo was officially presented by Manchester United on August 31 last year. It was the return of whoever became a world star with the Red Devils jersey. Although he was no longer the successful boy who left at 24, the fans were still happy to have him back after twelve years. And he, always so pertinent from the communication point of view, issued politically impeccable statements:
“Everyone who knows me knows my infinite love for Manchester United. The years I spent at this club were absolutely incredible and the road we traveled together is written in golden letters in the history of this great and incredible institution.”he pointed out on the club’s official networks.
He added: “I can’t even begin to explain my feelings now that I see my return to Old Trafford announced around the world. It’s like a dream come true, after all the times I’ve played Manchester United again. I have always felt a lot of love and respect from the fans in the stands“. Love of the good…
United came from getting the runner-up behind City and above Liverpool and Chelsea. It was expected, with his contribution, to make the big leap in the Champions League, and return to the title in the Premier. Above all, because the already expensive existing squad was joined by Jadón Sancho, a pass of 85 million euros, and Raphael Varane, of 40 M €. In other words, the three of them plus De Gea, Maguire, Pogba, Bruno Fernandes, Mc Tomminay, Rashford… The result was unfortunate: they were quickly eliminated in the Champions League, the English Cup, the League Cup and, in sixth place in the Premier, 35 points behind the champion, which for more salt was once again Manchester City, its hated citizen rival. Sixth doubling the losses of the previous year. And staying out of the next European Champions League.
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The Ronaldo Effect
Cristiano Ronaldo did not make the team better. He did not contribute to achieving any goal.
The Ronaldo effect didn’t work, just as it hadn’t in his previous three years at Juventus. The one from Madeira scored the lowest number of goals in his last fifteen seasons: 24. But, beyond that, he did not make the team better. He did not contribute to achieving any goal. His high ego collided with the German coach Ralf Rangnick and the new one, the Dutchman Erik Ten Hag, does not have it in his plans. This would be the great reason why he seeks to leave at all costs: to avoid being a substitute. United went on a tour of Thailand, Australia and Norway, and CR7 did not appear citing “family problems”.
Despite the fact that his contract is for two years with the option of one more, Cristiano has already told his agent that he wants to leave in this same transfer market. Ten months after that idyllic return. He does not want to continue in a team that will play in the little-known Europa League. And he has given the order to his almighty businessman Jorge Mendes to get him a new club. Mendes has already left with the suitcase and has offered it to Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Napoli, Roma, Barcelona and now Atlético de Madrid. But nobody bites. And he intends to continue charging 30 million clean euros per year. The only partially interested party is Chelsea, and there is an explanation: the ultra-millionaire Todd Bohely, the new owner of Stamford Bridge (he bought the club from the deported Roman Abramovich) wants Cristiano as a publicity and commercial coup, but coach Thomas Tuchel looks at football and opposes
The coaches think of the whole, they want eleven at the service of the team and they know that with Ronaldo they are 10+1, he is an island. He goes where he goes to swell his personal numbers and go down in history. If they serve the team in the process, fine. A case similar to that of Ibrahimovic, of whom Arrigo Sacchi left an anthological phrase: “If football were an individual sport, like tennis, Zlatan would be the best in the world, but he is collective.”
Giorgio Chiellini, his teammate at Juventus, commented: “Cristiano needs a team that plays for him.” Y the former Madrid and Roma footballer, Antonio Cassano, turned into an irreverent commentator, was harsher: “Just think about his goals and records.”
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A great footballer or a great athlete?
That it has dropped from an average of 50 goals to 24 is not objectionable. It is largely due to age. One topic is to look in optimal physical condition and another is to preserve the reflections. This there is no gym or abdominals that can keep him as a twenty-year-old. And the Portuguese is already on his way to 38. Even 24 touchdowns are a very respectable figure given his seniority. What he does not have is game, association, combinations, overflow, goal passes. But neither would this be questionable. Whoever hires you must know this and be clear about it.
The inelegant thing is to go out and ring the bell in all the important clubs in Europe having a current contract at Uniteda club that opened the doors of England to him at the age of 18 and launched him to the top, and that received him again when he fled the previous year from Juventus.
The Agnelli club had bet heavily on him, paying 117 million euros to Madrid (figures from Transfermarkt, the number one page in football on market issues). But he said ‘I’m leaving’ on a Tuesday and got on a plane on Wednesday. Juventus recovered just 15 million, which was paid by Manchester. And he did not reach the desired objective either: win the Champions League with him. On the contrary, he had reached the European final in 2017 and in the three seasons with Ronaldo they were eliminated once in the quarter-finals and twice in the round of 16. And they lost the Scudetto after having conquered it nine consecutive years. He left an acid aftertaste in Turin and the opinions of the media after his goodbye were caustic: “Ronaldo did not achieve the feat for which he had been hired, the conquest of the Champions League.” “We have never heard him talk like a convinced Juventus player.” “He never exposed himself in favor of Juve.” “Ronaldo’s team is Ronaldo and that also applies to Manchester United.” “He was never 100% involved.” “Ronaldo was a soloist, he was never part of the dressing room.”
In Spain, despite the Madridista press machinery that always defended him with a knife, criticism of the divo’s attitude has already begun to be outlined. “You could guess his decadence and a player like that, so singular, so impossible to fit into any system that does not consist of all of them for him, compensates when he scores incessantly. When his figures are reduced to those of a simple good scorer, problems appear ”; wrote Alfredo Relaño, honorary president of the newspaper As. And he deepened: “Now he wants to leave United because he has not qualified for the Champions League. Seems like a selfish approach to me. You would think that the year before, without him, United did qualify.”
Carlos González, from Marca, was respectful but sharp: “Cristiano Ronaldo throws away his greatness on the pitch,” he titled. And he broke down: “These last few years he is managing them poorly and coming out in a way that he shouldn’t from the teams he goes through, legendary clubs, which have also given him everything. He was already wrong in his way of leaving Real Madrid. A legend like him cannot say that he wants to leave the club seconds after winning a Champions League, as the Portuguese did after the final in kyiv”.
Cristiano triggers a debate: what is better, being a great footballer or a great athlete…?
LAST TANGO
Jorge Barraza
For the time
@JorgeBarraza OK
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