Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Madrid -even if it was just to collect an award- made some waves around the world of football, and these words will not go down well at Camp Nou.
The former Real Madrid footballer spoke to Marca after picking up the Marca Leyenda award in a ceremony held on Monday, where he openly admitted his regret about the way he left Los Blancos last summer. Furthemore, he gave an interview to the aforementioned newspaper, where he spoke candidly about the UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid, Barcelona and even Neymar.
On that first subject, the Portuguese footballer admitted that the pool of teams that can be considered contenders will not change for the 2019-20 season.
"It will always be the same number of teams, regardless of who they sign. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético, Juve, Bayern, Liverpool, in no particular order. Maybe I left one team out, but I can't see a change there. Maybe Manchester City, but being a contender does not give any guarantees of you winning the title by the end of the season," Cristiano Ronaldo said.
The former Real Madrid footballer looked into Juve's chances of going all the way in the European competition, and while at it, he aimed a slight dig at Barcelona and their efforts to win the coveted title.
"Juventus is a team that has added enough talent, we will fight for it, but it's not just about investing money to win it. You can't be obsessed with that title. Look at Barcelona; they have spent a lot of money in the past five years and they haven't been able to win it," CR7 added.
The 2019 UEFA Nations League winner with Portugal referred to his former team and how he trusts Zinedine Zidane will lead them to a new glorious era.
"Real Madrid has built a strong squad, with Hazard, Jovic, Mend...I try to keep an eye on Real Madrid because I left friends there, it's the club where I've won the most titles and where part of my legacy is. I'm 100% sure that they will have a great season," the footballer added.
Cristiano Ronaldo then referred to Neymar's situation at PSG and even predicted where he will end up playing.
"We shot an ad recently, and I think he is a great guy, I have an excellent relationship with him. There's a lot of talk about him, with the newspapers linking him to Madrid, Barca, Juve, and that's OK because it's their job, but I honestly believe that he will stay at PSG. If he doesn't, I'd tell him to find a place where he is happy, so he can show the amazing amount of talent he's got. I want him to take care of himself and have an injury-free season, he should be worried about it because he's getting injured constantly," the striker said.
The footballer concluded by stating his desire to return to Madrid, even if this happens after his retirement.
"I lived here (in Madrid) for nine years, a bit of my history took place here, and I'm not only talking about football. My kids, Cristianito, I met my girl here. You can't turn off the past, and that's why I still have a home here, that's why I plan to open a hotel here, my hair clinic, gyms...it's a great city and I will never dismiss the idea of living here some day," CR7 concluded.
