One Atlético Madrid fan group has not taken kindly to the rumors linking the club with a move for Cristiano Ronaldo, calling the Portuguese star “a player in steep decline.”
The Unión Internacional de Peñas Atlético de Madrid released a statement Tuesday that strongly expressed its disapproval of any potential move for Ronaldo, who missed Manchester United’s preseason tour of Thailand and Australia due to personal reasons and also informed the club of his desire to leave this summer for the right offer. This week, he returned to Manchester to hold talks with United over his future, but no resolution has been reached. Atléti fans, however, have had their say.
“In light of the possibility that signing Cristiano Ronaldo is more than a simple rumor without basis, we express our absolute rejection of his hypothetical joining of our club,” the statement said.
“The aforementioned player represents the antithesis of the values that constitute the foundation of our Atleti, such as the effort, generosity, modesty and humility of those who want to defend our values.”
Meanwhile, at Atlético’s friendly with third-tier side Numancia on Wednesday, fans protested the rumor with a banner that said “CR7 Not Welcome.”
While part of Real Madrid, Ronaldo won two Champions League finals against Atlético and has long drawn the ire of Atlético fans. In 2019 with Juventus, after losing 2–0 to Atlético in the Champions League round of 16 first leg, Ronaldo famously told the media: “I won five Champions Leagues and these guys zero.” He went on to score a hat trick in the second leg that saw Juventus eliminate Atlético on a 3–2 aggregate.
However, any mooted transfer to Atlético seems unlikely given recent comments made by club president Enrique Cerezo, who said that Ronaldo’s arrival at Atlético is “practically impossible.”
“Rumors are rumors and should remain such, because if they continue increasing, they will seem real, which they’re not,” Cerezo told Spanish outlet Cope.
