'He scored only one goal a game': Diego Maradona explains why Cristiano Ronaldo was sold by Real Madrid

Former Barcelona, Napoli great and Argentina's 1986-World Cup winning hero Diego Maradona has stated that Real Madrid and its club president Florentino Perez decided to sell of Cristiano Ronaldo only because the Portuguese was scoring 'only one goal a game'.

Speaking to Marca, the former player and manager of Argentina said, "I think that it was a good move for Cristiano. He gave his all to Madrid, he wasn't enjoying it as much as he does now in Italian football and Florentino is always planning. When he saw Ronaldo was only getting a goal a game he sold him."

Ever since his departure, Real have struggled to get going, laboring in sixth place in La Liga after 12 matches. And Maradona believes that the club is dearly missing the five-time Ballon d'Or.

"Clearly yes but I always say that a player doesn't make a club. Madrid will recover, they will win again, they have a great squad but the truth is that CR7 continues to score goals and people will say why was he sold. I always say that Florentino is clever and if he let him go it was for a reason."

READ: Cristiano Ronaldo Reveals Why He Left Real Madrid

Last month, Ronaldo had opened up about his exit from Spain, where he spent nine years with Blancos. Stating that the club, especially Perez, was not regarding him in a proper manner, the Portugugal skipper said,

"I felt within the club, especially from the president, that I was no longer considered in the same way as I was at the beginning. For the first four or five years, I felt like Cristiano Ronaldo. Less so after. The president looked at me in a way that suggested I was no longer indispensable if you know what I mean. That is what made me think about leaving."

Ronaldo is enjoying yet another promising season, despite having made a slow start at his new club Juventus. The 33-year-old joined the Turin club earlier this year for a record fee of 100 million pounds during the summer transfer window, henceforth ending his nine-year-long association with Real Madrid.