When it comes to Real Madrid, no player is bigger than the club – not even a multi Ballon D’Or-winning record-breaking goalscorer such as Cristiano Ronaldo.
Only recently returned from the knee injury he picked up in the Euro 2016 final, Ronaldo was substituted by Zinedine Zidane with 20 minutes of their 2-2 draw with Las Palmas still to play.
It probably won’t come as a surprise to learn that the 31-year-old wasn’t too pleased by his manager’s decision and appeared to be muttering to himself in frustration as he made his way from the pitch to the Real Madrid dugout.
https://youtu.be/4uuR_MSCiHI
Admittedly, we’ve seen him express his annoyance in more animated ways than this in recent months…
https://twitter.com/DanWhiteDW/status/745666473977339904
… but the Spanish press were quick to ask Zidane about the player’s “angry” reaction after the game. The Real Madrid boss played it down, explaining he had brought him off with Tuesday’s Champions League match with Borussia Dortmund in mind.
“It was not that he was playing badly. We are playing on Tuesday and Cristiano must rest too sometimes. It was just for that. He was playing well. Tonight I took him off thinking of Tuesday’s game.”
“Angry? That would be your interpretation. He always wants to be on the pitch. We have to take him out sometimes, and we did today. It does not change anything.”
Marco Asensio had given Madrid the lead in Gran Canaria during the first half, only for the home side to equalise five minutes later.
Before the second Las Palmas equaliser, which came five minutes from time, Ronaldo had a big part to play in Real’s second goal. Relatively quiet for most of the match, his shot was saved by goalkeeper Javi Varas, only for the rebound to be turned in by Karim Benzema. Watch closely as Ronaldo fails to contain his delight for his teammate…
https://twitter.com/ManLikeMahrez/status/779780875626176512
Catch up with the first episode of Football Friday Live…
