Topics: UEFA Champions League, Manchester City, Sporting CP, Cristiano Ronaldo
The Portuguese superstar's mum was pictured in the stands for Tuesday night's meeting between his son's boyhood club and the Premier League oufit.

In a night in which Cristiano Ronaldo was set to feature in Manchester United's Premier League clash with Brighton & Hove Albion, his mother Dolores Aveiro was seen in the stands ready for Sporting CP's Champions League clash with Man City. The former, which is the Portuguese star's boyhood club, however, failed to give the guardian of their former academy star a performance to be proud of, as they entered the half-time break with a four-goal deficit.

Last year, there was speculation that Portugal superstar Ronaldo would return to Sporting, where he began his professional career but, instead, he joined Manchester United for the second time in his career. Following his move back to Old Trafford, his mother revealed that her biggest desire before she dies was for her son to return and play for Sporting CP.

In what could be in anticipation of the return of the Lions' greatest-ever prodigy, Dolores Aveiro was seen in attendance sporting the club's shirt and scarf. However, her night was marred by the efficiency of Manchester City, with last season's finalist putting in another great shift to hit four first half goals. They hit the ground running right from the onset, with Riyad Mahrez breaking the deadlock after just seven minutes. 

!0 minutes later Bernado Silva doubled his side's advantage before Phil Foden scored the third in the 32nd minute. Bernado Silva emerged once more to score the game's fourth with just a minute of play left in the first half. 

Elsewhere in Manchester, Cristiano Ronaldo finally got his first goal of 2022 by scoring in the early minutes of the second half aganst Brighton. The strike brought an endto the worst goal drought of his career, taking his tally for the club since rejoining to 15.