Cristiano Ronaldo’s working relationship with new Real Madrid manager Rafa Benitez seems to be off to a bumpy start. You might remember that Ronaldo was against the club’s decision to sack Carlo Ancelotti, so when Benitez (who managed Liverpool when Ronaldo was with rivals Manchester United) arrived, they were already on the wrong foot. And the relationship only appears to be getting worse during Real Madrid’s preseason tour of Australia.
Acting the referee during a training session, Benitez committed the mortal sin of disallowing a goal scored by Cristiano. This did not go over well with the Ballon d’Or winner, who got up and angrily cursed at Benitez, then said the Spaniard “only sees offenses against the Portuguese players.” Benitez just smiled awkwardly back at him, perhaps realizing that he is only just beginning what could be the most miserable experience of his life.
It didn’t end there, though. Later in the session, Benitez had the players do a fun crossbar challenge. “We should be practicing putting the ball in the net, not this shit,” Ronaldo announced.
So, in Ronaldo’s eyes, Benitez is already a xenophobic monster who doesn’t know how to train his team. This is going to be a magical season.