"I felt very relieved when he left Manchester" - Georgina Rodriguez on Cristiano Ronaldo's exit from Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo's partner Georgina Rodriguez has revealed that she was pleased when the legendary striker left Manchester United late in 2022. The Real Madrid icon returned to Old Trafford in 2021 after he initially departed in 2009.
Ronaldo first came to the club in 2003 from Sporting Lisbon and scored 145 goals while providing 64 assists in 346 games across two stints either side of nine years with Los Blancos and three with Juventus.
Speaking via Football Transfers, the Spanish model blasted the English giants' treatment of her partner following his return as compared to his treatment by Madrid fans, saying:
“The [Real Madrid] fans always chanted Cristiano's name, Cristiano was grateful to hear the chants and see their love for him. We know that wherever we go, they will continue to cheer him and chant his name as they do today. I felt very relieved when Cristiano left Manchester for Al Nassr.”
Following Cristiano Ronaldo's departure from Manchester United, he joined Saudi Pro-League outfit Al-Nassr where he continues to impress. He has scored 62 times and provided 17 assists in 69 appearances for the Riyadh-based club since he arrived in January 2023.
Louis Saha feels Cristiano Ronaldo "was right" in Manchester United assessment
Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha has agreed with Cristiano Ronaldo's criticism of his former club. The legendary Portuguese forward urged the club to rebuild everything if they hoped to compete in an explosive interview with British broadcast Piers Morgan that led to the end of his second stint at the club.
Ronaldo returned to Old Trafford in 2021 for €17 million from Juventus after bagging 551 club goals and four Ballon d'Or awards. However, he was disappointed in the conditions he met at the club and left on a sour note less than two years into his return.
Speaking about the points the Real Madrid legend brought up before his exit from the club, Saha told Casino Hawks:
"Cristiano Ronaldo was right when he said that Manchester United needed to rebuild everything, he was right when he said it two years ago. I think part of the reason they have rebuilt everything is because of what he said in that interview, look at the training ground and talk of a new stadium, things have changed."
"This club used to scare the opposition in the way they played, the first step in getting back to that will be the infrastructure and looking and feeling like the club they are."
The Frenchman concluded:
"The club should be listening to people like Ronaldo, Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Ruud van Nistelrooy, this club needs to again understand how to win things. What Cristiano and Rio mentioned is the way the club used to be and how the players need to get that confidence that we had, rebuilding the club around them will help."
Saha played 124 times for Manchester United, scoring 42 goals and providing 16 assists. He took to the pitch for 5,140 minutes across 95 games with Cristiano Ronaldo, with the duo combining for seven goals.