Real Madrid News
Cristiano Ronaldo opens up about Real Madrid’s obsession with UCL: “Engraved in my memory”
During an interaction on the YouTube channel of LiveScore, former Real Madrid superstar and club legend reflected on his time at the Santiago Bernabeu and the success he achieved during his stint, especially in the UEFA Champions League.
Ronaldo arrived at Real Madrid from Manchester United in 2009 in a record deal. He had to wait for a considerable time for his first European trophy with the Merengues, which came in the form of La Decima in the 2013/14 season under Carlo Ancelotti.
And during his chat, the 37-year-old, who recently signed for Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr, claimed that the La Decima triumph was the most special win for him and Real Madrid.
“At Real Madrid, they always think about the Champions League. We felt year after year, the pressure is getting higher and higher every time, but La Decima was the moment we won what we wanted. The most special win,” Ronaldo said.
“La Decima with Real Madrid is a moment that will be engraved in my memory forever, I will never forget. When you sign for Real Madrid you feel that winning the Champions League is a kind of obsession, everyone there was obsessed with winning the 10th.”
After La Decima, Real Madrid would go on to win three more Champions League titles over the next four years, this time with Zinedine Zidane at the helm. Indeed, the Merengues lifted the coveted trophy in three consecutive seasons in 2015/16, 2016/17, and 2017/18.
Talking about the trophy haul, Ronaldo said: “We won four Champions League titles in five years. It’s… wow. But I believe we could have won more.”
However, the all-time leading goalscorer for the Merengues insisted that La Decima meant the most to him, saying: “The 10th was the most special. It was in my homeland. Every fan wanted it. We all wanted it. It is the moment I will always remember, winning the most prestigious with my club.”
Ronaldo spent nine years at Real Madrid, scoring 450 goals in 438 appearances. The icon left the club in 2018 to join Juventus, where he spent three years before returning to Manchester United in 2021.
The 37-year-old had a breakdown in his relationship with the Red Devils this season and left for Al Nassr. Prior to his move to Saudi Arabia this month, it is said that Ronaldo’s agents offered him to Real Madrid, but the club were uninterested in signing the legendary forward.
Real Madrid News
Mourinho reacts to Vinicius suspension: “Why announce it two hours before an important match?”
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has questioned the RFEF Disciplinary Committee’s decision to announce Vinicius Jr.’s four-match suspension just hours before their UEFA Champions League meeting with AS Roma on Wednesday.
The Brazilian has been hit with a four-match ban for his red card against Villarreal, meaning he will miss the matches against Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing Santander, and Valencia.
And, speaking to Movistar+ (h/t MARCA) before the match, the Real Madrid manager was asked whether the punishment could affect the Brazilian psychologically.
Mourinho instead turned his attention to the football authorities and the timing of their announcement.
“I think that is a question for the Committee. Why have they announced the suspension at this particular moment? If you are asking me this question, it is presumably because you think it could affect him,” the Portuguese coach replied.
“You should ask the Committee why they did not announce it this morning, or tomorrow morning. Why do they do it two hours before a match that is important for Real Madrid, which is a Spanish club?” he added, questioning the timing of the decision.
Mourinho explains his tactical approach against Roma
The Real Madrid manager also outlined his plan for facing a Roma side known for their aggressive pressing.
“My intention is to stop them from pressing us so high up the pitch, given the players we have available and as a precaution,” he said.
Continuing, the Portuguese manager added: “They press man-to-man higher up the pitch better than anyone else, and we will see whether we can take advantage of that. If not, they will have to drop their press five or ten metres.”
Why Rudiger over Huijsen
Mourinho also justified his decision to start Antonio Rudiger at centre-back alongside Ibrahima Konate rather than Dean Huijsen.
“They played very well together in the last match, Rudiger and Konate, showing great leadership and the ability to withstand a difficult situation when we had ten men for 30 minutes,” he said.
“I am not saying Dean is not capable of playing a match like this, but this is a wonderful atmosphere for Roma and a difficult one for us. I think a player with Antonio’s experience can be important,” Mourinho added.
Finally, Mourinho was asked about his emotions ahead of returning to face Roma, the club he managed between 2021 and 2024.
The Portuguese coach offered a brief response, saying that he had his feelings about the occasion “blocked”.
