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Updated March 24th, 2021 at 11:55 IST

Cristiano Ronaldo only thinks about goals & records: Italy legend takes a dig at Juve star

Italy legend Antonio Cassano has labelled Cristiano Ronaldo 'selfish', blaming him for being concerned about his individual goals and records.

Reported by: Minaam Ansari
Cristiano Ronaldo
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Juventus icon Cristiano Ronaldo came under the scanner following his side's exit from the Champions League round of 16 following the defeat against FC Porto. It was his defensive mishandling in the extra time of the second leg which resulted in Sergio Oliviera's set-piece thus taking his side into the final eight. Ronaldo was also slammed for his ineffectiveness and haplessness during Juventus' shocking loss against Benevento, inviting sharp reactions from Italian legend Antonio Cassano.

Cassano blames Cristiano Ronaldo for Maurizio Sarri's failure 

Antonio Cassano has emerged as a staunch critic of Cristiano Ronaldo this season. His scathing attacks on the five-time Ballon d'Or winner have increased since the team have tumbled in their Serie A title defence, with the two Milan clubs emerging stronger. Cassano has blamed the Portuguese forward for former manager Maurizio Sarri's struggle in introducing his brand of football at Allianz Stadium prior to his sacking last summer. 

Speaking on Twitch show Bobo TV, Antoni Cassano stated that Juventus could pocket €100 million with the sale of  Ronaldo. The money can then be used to buy two top players to strengthen the side. He insists Sarri put in the best football for the club in recent years but was fired, further stating that Ronaldo was the main reason for the Italian tactician's struggle. 

Cassano labels Cristiano Ronaldo selfish 

He went on to lash out at Ronaldo for being selfish while also blaming him for being more concerned about his individual records. "You can't have a coach who wants to play football with Cristiano Ronaldo. He's a brake for (Andrea) Pirlo. Cristiano only thinks about his goals and records," said Cassano who has had stints with Real Madrid as well. 

On being asked about the way forward for the defending Serie A champions, Cassano claimed that a rookie coach cannot be tasked with the responsibility of managing a player like Ronaldo. He cited Ronaldo's teammate Dejan Kulusevski as someone who is very much influenced by the Portuguese. "Young people without personality face problems," he concluded. 

Portugal fixtures update: European champions play Azerbaijan 

Amid the mounting criticism from several quarters, Ronaldo has joined the Portugal national football team ahead of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. As per the detailed Portugal fixtures, the European champions will kickstart their campaign to seal a berth for the World Cup with the game against Azerbaijan on Wednesday (Thursday according to IST). The Portugal national football team will also play Serbia and Luxembourg during the ongoing international break. 

Image courtesy: AP, Cristiano Ronaldo Twitter 

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Published March 24th, 2021 at 11:55 IST

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