Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo was riled by comments about Barcelona’s forwards and reacted angrily when asked at a news conference on Tuesday about his away goals drought ahead of the Champions League tie at AS Roma.
The Portugal international was asked if Barca’s free-scoring attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar had the edge over Real’s strikers because they get on so well together.
“How do we know that (their relationship) is that way? It is only because that is what is written,” he said.
“I don’t have to go to dinner with (Karim) Benzema, or for (Gareth) Bale to come to my house. What we need is to get on on the field. We don’t have to give each other kisses.
“This thing about the little meals, the little hugs, the little kisses. To me that doesn’t mean anything.”
Ronaldo later walked out of the news conference after replying sharply to a question about his recent lack of away goals on the eve of Real’s last 16 first-leg clash in Rome.
Ronaldo broke the competition’s record for the most goals scored in the group stage earlier this season when he hit 11, and is also the Champions League’s all-time top scorer with 88 goals in 121 appearances.
But he was unhappy when asked why he had not scored away since Real Madrid’s 2-0 La Liga victory at Eibar on Nov. 29.
“Who else has scored more goals away from home than me since I arrived in Spain?” said Ronaldo. “Name one player who has scored more than me?
“No answer? Ok. Thank you everyone,” he added, before excusing himself from the news conference.
Ronaldo has netted 32 goals in all competitions so far this season – 21 at home and 11 away.
He has featured in four away games for Real since his goal against Eibar without finding the net, struggling to shine in recent La Liga matches against Real Betis and Granada.
“It’s understandable that people have doubts,” Ronaldo had said earlier. “It’s like with a son when you give him everything and then when you take it away, he cries.
“I hope that I can keep this ‘bad form’ up until the season’s end.”
Real coach Zinedine Zidane reaffirmed Ronaldo’s importance to the team this week after the forward scored twice in a 4-2 win over Athletic Bilbao at the Bernabeu on Saturday.
Feature image source: AFP