Real Madrid forward, Cristiano Ronaldo, has laughed off suggestions as reported lack of closeness with teammates, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale could affect team ahead of Wednesday’s last 16 Champions League tie against AS Roma.
Advertisement
“Tell me a player who has scored more away goals than I have since I came to Spain”.
“No answer? OK. Thank you everyone”, he added, before excusing himself from the news conference.
Zinedine Zidane will manage his first game in Champions League today, as Real Madrid face Roma in Knockout Stage action.
Perhaps more worringly, the Italians conceded 16 goals in just six group stage matches, six of those coming in 6-1 defeat at last year’s champions Barcelona.
“When you’re a player, you dream of playing in the World Cup”, he said. “It’s like with a son when you give him everything and then when you take it away, he cries”.
1 – So Paolo, give us a brief overview of Roma’s season so far and what kind of form are they in coming into this game?
The Brazilian, who is a key part of coach Zinedine Zidane’s side, missed out on Saturday’s game at home to Athletic Club Bilbao because of a dislocated shoulder he suffered against Granada the previous weekend, reports Xinhua.
Asked about Messi setting up Suarez for a controversial goal from the penalty spot on Sunday, he said: “I know why he did it, and I’m not saying anything more”.
On his end, Ronaldo feels that players don’t really need to be best friends away from football to function effectively as a unit.
Zidane has made a solid start to his first solo coaching role by winning five of his six games in La Liga – drawing the other match.
“But I’m not going to use three of my players to close him down”.
De Rossi and Totti both played when the sides last met in competitive action as the Serie A side progressed to the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 2008 courtesy of a 4-2 aggregate win. It certainly isn’t mission impossible for Roma, and despite Real Madrid being heavy favourites, it would be unfair to say Roma don’t have a chance.
Scorer of the club’s definitive Champions League goal – that guided-missile volley in the final at Hampden in 2002 – he has united supporters, settled players, and looked just as dazzling in training sessions as he did a decade ago in his pomp as a player.
Advertisement
“Marcelo will only play if he is 100 per cent”, said the Frenchman. “I’m convinced that this team has potential”.
