Zinedine Zidane comments on Real Madrid's reunion with 'magnificent' Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has responded to speculation about a potential Cristiano Ronaldo reunion at the Santiago Bernabeu next summer.
The rumours of the Portuguese football icon returning to his former club have picked up pace over the last few days on the back of his second successive round of 16 exit from the UEFA Champions League with Juventus. With the striker's contract set to expire in 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo is weighing up his options and is believed to be considering a return to Los Blancos.
The Spanish champions are also open to Cristiano Ronaldo returning to the club as per reliable journalist Jose Felix Diaz of MARCA, who claimed that 'anything is possible' when it comes to the deal.
Zidane went on to call him a 'magnificent' player and admitted that Real Madrid still hold a great amount of love and admiration for him. However, he remained tight-lipped on the situation when asked if the five-time Ballon d'Or winner could, in fact, return to his old stomping grounds. The French coach refused to give away too much information away and explained;
"You know what he [Cristiano Ronaldo] is, what he has done and how much love we have for him. He made history here, he's magnificent. Now, he is a Juve player and I cannot tell you anything about what they (media) are saying. He's a Juve player and I have to respect these things."
Cristiano Ronaldo has taken the brunt of the criticism aimed at Juventus for his failure to guide Juventus past the last eight of the UCL even once in the last three years, falling to AFC Ajax, Olympique Lyon, and FC Porto.
Real Madrid themselves have failed to go beyond the last 16 of the two editions they've participated in since their record goalscorer's exit from the club and could be set for a third straight exit at the same stage should they lose to Atalanta Bergamo next week.
Sergio Ramos' admission over Cristiano Ronaldo's Real Madrid exit
Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos admitted wouldn't have allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to depart] the club back in 2018. The ex-Manchester United winger fired Los Blancos to a historic three-peat of the UEFA Champions League and then announced his record-shattering transfer to Juventus.
Speaking on his former teammate's departure, the Blancos skipper expressed;
"With Cristiano's departure, he lost out and Real Madrid lost out. I wouldn't have let him go. It shows you that football is more and more even. Juve were the favourites [in the UCL], but you can't disrespect any opponent. But them getting knocked out is indifferent to me."
Since his move from Old Trafford, he went on to top Real Madrid's scoring charts with a jaw-dropping 450 goals in just 438 games for the club, winning himself four Ballons d'Or in the process.
It remains to be seen if a reunion is on the cards for the iconic forward and the 13-time European champions.
Also read: Zinedine Zidane comments on Cristiano Ronaldo's Blancos reunion, Sergio Ramos drops massive Erling Haaland transfer hint, and more