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Ronaldo

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19509767

Real Madrid must be sick of the sight of Granada.

On Sunday evening Jose Mourinho's side demolished the Andalucians 3-0 at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, just as they had on their last visit in January. Yet - in an identical script to that occasion last winter - Cristiano Ronaldo declined to celebrate his two goals.

Ronaldo cut as peeved a figure in front of journalists after the game as he had in front of his public on the field. He said he hadn't celebrated his goals as he felt "sad" due to his "professional" situation at the club.

Plenty has changed in the intervening eight months since Granada were last in town - most notably, the fact that Ronaldo helped Real Madrid win back La Liga from Barcelona. What hasn't changed is Ronaldo's salary, despite a contract extension being mooted as long as six months ago.

Ronaldo, 27, says his current mood is "not about the money," but you can bet your last euro that it is at least a little bit about that.

A table of the world's best-paid footballers published in Marca this week showed Ronaldo in 10th place, mainly due to lucrative moves for Samuel Eto'o, Sergio Aguero, Didier Drogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the last year.

He's telling the truth in that it's not really about the money itself, but rather about the respect it implies. Ronaldo is particularly infuriated that he is on the same wages as Kaka (£8m annually), despite the fact that the Brazilian is far from essential to Mourinho's plans.

For the very cream of world football, that's what it's all about. Rather than defining whether you can afford to buy 20 Maseratis or 30, your pay slip is acknowledgement not just from the club, but in terms of status in the dressing room.

Real's president Florentino Perez has been here before. Claude Makelele left for Chelsea in 2004 and Patrick Vieira pulled out of a 2005 move from Arsenal at the 11th hour because both were not considered worthy of joining the top bracket of salaries at the Bernabeu. They weren't 'shirt sellers'.

The current situation is a legacy of the second coming of Perez. In his first spell as president, he ushered in the galáctico era by signing the likes of Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham.

When Perez got a second crack at the top job in 2009 he quickly made his transfer policy from the previous era look circumspect. He signed Manchester United's Ronaldo for £80m, Liverpool's Xabi Alonso (£30m), Kaka (£56m) and Karim Benzema (£30m) .

Best-paid footballers
1. Samuel Eto'o (Anzhi)

2. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG)

3. Wayne Rooney (Man Utd)

4. Yaya Toure (Emirates Marketing Project)

5. Sergio Aguero (Emirates Marketing Project)

6. Didier Drogba (Shanghai)

7. Fernando Torres (Chelsea)

8. Dario Conca (Guangzhou)

9. Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

10. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

List compiled by Marca.com
In Ronaldo's mind, he is getting no credit for everything he's done since he arrived three years ago. The other side of that argument is that Real Madrid don't have the money to give their star a big raise while they're still lumbered with Kaka's wages - a point made by Spanish daily As this week.

There are other potential strands of discontent. Ronaldo's relationship with his team-mate Marcelo has reportedly degenerated, and he is also upset with what he regards as the unfair treatment of his close friend and Real Madrid and Portugal team-mate Fabio Coentrao.

It is felt that the Madrid press often have a dig at midfielder Coentrao, who is seen as a soft target, when they want to get at Mourinho or Jorge Mendes, the Portuguese super-agent both players share with their coach. Mendes' other clients include Manchester United's Nani and Anderson.

Mendes and Ronaldo may try to use moneybags Paris Saint-Germain as leverage, as a potential destination with the cash to satisfy their wishes. The French club, who were taken over by Qatari investors last year, are perhaps the ultimate bogeyman in world football today, just as Emirates Marketing Project were before them.

Taking on Real Madrid in a PR battle is, however, brave to say the least. The pro-Madrid press are already moving into position, tentatively suggesting Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao as a nominal replacement.

The timing of the 26-year-old Colombian taking Chelsea to pieces in the European Super Cup is opportune for the top brass at the Bernabeu.

Marca today quoted Radamel Enrique Garcia King, Falcao's father, as saying "my son's dream is to play at Real Madrid. Ever since he was little, he's wanted to play there."

The player himself said he just "wants to continue winning trophies with Atletico," but it is easy to see his appeal. Deeply religious, Falcao is humble and approachable as well as prolific.

Ronaldo is high maintenance. Yet despite the offering of the concept of taking on Falcao, Real Madrid do realise that no one player can replace Ronaldo - goalscorer, creator, winger and number nine all rolled into one.

What the club are saying is that they have no intention of being held to ransom. Real Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo are two of the boldest brands in the game. It remains to see who will blink first.
 
Rooney did release a statement at the time

Here is a more recent story - http://www1.skysports.com/football/...er-request-at-Manchester-United-two-years-ago

He added of the involvement of United boss Sir Alex Ferguson in his decision to stay: "Then the manager has his say. 'Sometimes you look in a field and you see a cow and you think it's a better cow than the one you have in your own field. And it never really works that way'.
"He's saying the grass isn't always greener, and he's right.


wow rooney comes across as really thick in that article. can see ferguson taking a swig of red before speaking to rooney like that.
 
Insane that the #9 & #10 highest paid footballers are Messi and Ronaldo.

Galeforce, I have no idea who Dario Conca is

come on Levy, cheeky bid, we will take his unhappy teammate Coentrao as well.
 
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Not a bad pad to rent for his time in Turin..
 
Watched him being unveilled the other day, did nto look happy at all.

Can't help but think his time up at Real is forced
 
The pool is a bit of a walk from the house
That was my first thought too. Every time you get to the pool you think "Oh I forgot my sunglasses/ book/ phone/ drink"

I guess he would have servants for that.

Where is the football pitch lawn though? You can't play football on that lot
 
great business by Real, Ronaldo is the sort of player who will regress very quickly, Juve will probably recoup their "investment" in merchandise and digital rights but I would wager he wont be playing for them in 2 years.
 
I think everyone should be happy with the deal. Ronaldo goes somewhere where he might feel more loved, Juve make a massive statement about returning to the elite group of European clubs, and Real get enough money to keep their pride about losing a big-name player. All will probably gain financially in different ways.

Ronaldo also gets a chance to burnish his status as one of the game's greats. He should get himself a title in another of the big leagues (it would be a bit embarrassing if Juve don't win it again with him) and there is the possibility of getting a Champions League with a third club. Juve have reached the final twice recently so he could be enough to make the difference. If he achieves that his five CL titles with three clubs plus league titles in England, Spain and Italy will put him well ahead of Messi in the history books.
 
I think everyone should be happy with the deal. Ronaldo goes somewhere where he might feel more loved, Juve make a massive statement about returning to the elite group of European clubs, and Real get enough money to keep their pride about losing a big-name player. All will probably gain financially in different ways.

Ronaldo also gets a chance to burnish his status as one of the game's greats. He should get himself a title in another of the big leagues (it would be a bit embarrassing if Juve don't win it again with him) and there is the possibility of getting a Champions League with a third club. Juve have reached the final twice recently so he could be enough to make the difference. If he achieves that his five CL titles with three clubs plus league titles in England, Spain and Italy will put him well ahead of Messi in the history books.

PSG in a couple of years for another guaranteed league title.
 
I think everyone should be happy with the deal. Ronaldo goes somewhere where he might feel more loved, Juve make a massive statement about returning to the elite group of European clubs, and Real get enough money to keep their pride about losing a big-name player. All will probably gain financially in different ways.

Ronaldo also gets a chance to burnish his status as one of the game's greats. He should get himself a title in another of the big leagues (it would be a bit embarrassing if Juve don't win it again with him) and there is the possibility of getting a Champions League with a third club. Juve have reached the final twice recently so he could be enough to make the difference. If he achieves that his five CL titles with three clubs plus league titles in England, Spain and Italy will put him well ahead of Messi in the history books.
That would be an understatement. My son's Under 6 side would win Serie A with Ronaldo.
 
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