“I know what it is like”
Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has defended star striker Cristiano Ronaldo and claims he understands his situation.
The five-time Ballon d’Or has come under the scrutiny of fans and the media in recent weeks.
The Portuguese icon’s future remains a subject of speculation after he asked United to sell him in July after a suitable offer arrived, as reported by The Times.
Ronaldo missed the club’s pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia due to family reasons. He played in the first half of the club’s last pre-season friendly against Rayo Vallecano on 31 July.
Maguire has claimed he understands the former Real Madrid superstar always struggles with a lot of attention and scrutiny.
The United captain has insisted the pressure is huge when you play for a gargantuan club like the Red Devils. He told Sky Sports:
“Cristiano is a great player and a great character to have around. I know what it’s like to have a lot of media speculation around me, but he takes most of it.”
“Everything he does is obviously scrutinized to some degree. I think that’s what you get when you play for this club [due to] the size of the club.
“On the other hand, when things go well, you get a lot of praise. This is football, this is the sport we play, there are limits that can be crossed and there are things that we can do in this country , to prevent that.”
Can Cristiano Ronaldo fire United back to their glory days?
Cristiano Ronaldo made a sensational return to United last summer, 12 years after joining Real Madrid.
While he had a good season as a singles player, that was not the case with the Red Devils. United had an unforgettable season, finishing sixth in the table with the worst points in a season (58).
Even at the age of 37, Cristiano Ronaldo remains a force to be reckoned with. He finished last season as the club’s top scorer with 24 goals in 38 games in all competitions.
It is understood that the lack of Champions League football at Old Trafford left the Portugal international keen on leaving.
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However, it seems quite unlikely that his wish will be granted this summer and he will have to spend next season playing for the Red Devils.
It remains to be seen how United fare under their new manager Erik ten Hag, but Ronaldo’s whereabouts can only be good news for the Dutchman.
The Red Devils start the season with a home game against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday 7 August. However, whether Cristiano Ronaldo will be fit enough to start is uncertain.
Paul Merson has predicted all GW 1 Premier League games. More details right here
https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/news-i-know-like-manchester-united-captain-harry-maguire-jumps-defend-cristiano-ronaldo?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=sportskeeda “I know what it is like”