Cristiano Ronaldo News: Diego Godin slams 'disrespectful' Ronaldo for 2014 Super Cup punch and UCL 'cojones' celebration
What's the story?
Inter Milan defender Diego Godin has slammed Juventus talisman Cristiano Ronaldo for his controversial 'cojones' celebration during the Bianconeri's win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last season.
He further added that the Portuguese forward was disrespectful when he infamously punched him during a Super Cup derby between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in 2014.
In case you didn't know...
Ronaldo and Godin have regularly gone head-to-head with one another over the years with the former having been an influential figure at Real Madrid and the latter a commanding presence in the Atletico defence.
The duo made the headlines during Real Madrid's Spanish Super Cup defeat against Atletico Madrid in 2014 when Ronaldo was seen punching the defender in the face in the lead up to a corner kick. The Portuguese forward however, escaped a red card, to the shock of fans and spectators across the globe.
A few years later, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner would be embroiled in yet another controversy but this time, while sporting a Juventus shirt. The former Manchester United superstar sent the media into a frenzy after netting an incredible hat-trick against Atletico Madrid to overturn their two-goal deficit in the Champions League last season.
What caught the attention of spectators was, however, his imitation of Diego Simeone's crotch-grabbing celebration from the first leg of the fixture, which was an attempt to mock the Rojiblancos after the defeat.
The heart of the matter
Godin, who was on the opposing side of both incidents, has addressed both controversies by slamming Ronaldo and calling him a 'disrespectful' person.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, he said (via Football Italia), "When Cholo made that gesture after our goal, it was towards our own fans, not Juve. Ronaldo’s version was different, he was disrespecting our supporters."
When asked about the infamous punch, the former Atletico Madrid star replied, "As for some roughhousing, what happens on the pitch stays on the pitch, but I don’t like it when there’s a lack of respect."
He added, "Marking Ronaldo is not a technical issue, it’s more about concentration because for 90 minutes you cannot let him out of your sight for a second. He will take that second to score a goal."
What's next?
Ronaldo will once again face Atletico Madrid when Juventus play them in the International Champions Cup on August 10.