Has Cristiano Ronaldo reached his boiling point, or is he calculating something for the future?
That’s what we’re wondering after Ronaldo walked out of a press conference Tuesday in Rome ahead of Real Madrid’s UEFA Champions League Round of 16 game against AS Roma. Ronaldo apparently took umbrage with reporters’ questions.
The tension started rising after a reporter asked Ronaldo if he and fellow attackers Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale have scored less frequently than the front three of Neymar, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi because the Barcelona front three share more camaraderie than Real Madrid’s.
“That’s what you say,” Ronaldo answered. “When I was at Manchester United with Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Rio Ferdinand, we only said ‘good morning’ and ‘good night,’ and we were formidable on the pitch.
“We don’t give each other kisses and hugs. I don’t have to go to dinner with Bale or Benzema or invite them to my house. What’s important is our understanding on the pitch. Little meals or kisses and hugs don’t mean anything.”
That’s a a fair answer, but the next question, one in which a reporter asked Ronaldo about not scoring in his last four road games, prompted the Portuguese superstar’s walkout.
“Can you name one player who has scored more away from home than me since I’ve been in Spain? No, you can’t, there aren’t any. Bye everyone,” he said.
The funniest part of the scene might have been the reaction of Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane, who simply laughed and carried out the rest of the media session by himself.
Thumbnail photo via Claudio Peri/ANSA/The Associated Press
