Things are not looking good for Real Madrid, as after they were embarrassingly taken apart by Barcelona with the world watching, it appears as though their star player has had enough of the current situation.
Much has been made about Real Madrid fans and some players being unhappy with Rafa Benitez's defensive style, and speculation has been surrounding the former Liverpool manager in recent weeks, but it appears that 'El Clasico' was the final straw, at least for star man Cristiano Ronaldo.
A number of publications in Europing including AS and La Gazetta Dello Sport are reporting that Cristiano Ronaldo told Real Madrid president Florentino Perez that it was "Benitez or me" following Madrid's 4-0 battering at the hands of Barca, implying that if Benitez was kept on as manager then Ronaldo would seek a move away from the club.
AS are claiming that the information has come from Ronaldo's camp, and supports a story published last week that claimed Ronaldo had voiced his concerns to Perez previously:
The information released by Fox would be based on a leak from Cristiano Ronaldo's camp, and confirm the information published last week by The Confidential, of an ongoing conversation between the Golden Ball winner and the president of Los Blancos where the Portuguese said: "With Benitez will not win anything"
SEE ALSO: Video: 'I Made Him' - Roy Keane On His Relationship With Cristiano Ronaldo
This makes very interesting reading for Manchester United fans in particular, with Louis Van Gaal yesterday telling the BBC that he was actively trying to bring Cristiano Ronaldo back to the club, along with other transfer targets:
We are looking at all players, not just Ronaldo. But these players are mostly ungettable. With Ronaldo, let's wait and hope.
Of course, it does appear that Ronaldo will just get his wish and Benitez will be axed, and it would be far easier for Perez to explain the sacking of Rafa than it would be to let Ronaldo walk, despite his poor form in recent weeks.
Like Louis Van Gaal, we'll have to wait and see what happens, but all is not well at the Santiago Bernabeu.
