Cristiano Ronaldo is leaving Real Madrid to join Juventus in a transfer deal worth €100M ($117.4M), according to Murad Ahmed of the FINANCIAL TIMES. Juventus said in a statement that its contract with the Portuguese forward is for four years, until June 30, 2022. It "did not disclose the terms of his salary," however. Ronaldo and Real Madrid won four Champions League titles, two La Liga championships and three Club World Cups during his nine years with the club. Real Madrid confirmed the transfer on its website on Tuesday, saying that it granted the move "in accordance with the will and request expressed" by Ronaldo. The share price in Juventus jumped close to 6% on the news, "with investors believing Ronaldo will help market the Italian club to fans around the world" (FT, 7/10).
IMPERFECT MARRIAGE: REUTERS' Richard Martin wrote for all Ronaldo's 451 goals in all competitions and "the silverware he helped amass," his time at Real Madrid "was fraught with moments of high tension leading to Tuesday's announcement." His periodic "dalliances with leaving Real and his frequent pleas for attention at times left a bitter taste with a club that has seen many greats pass through," and led to him being "booed by his own supporters on several occasions." The fact he "did not enjoy unblighted adoration from the club despite everything he had done for them clearly annoyed Ronaldo," as did the fact that he was "not offered new bloated contracts every time he asked for them." The "first signs of an uneasy relationship" emerged when Ronaldo declared on the pitch in '12, "I'm sad and the club know why," and "they reared their head again" after the 4-1 win over Juventus in the 2017 Champions League final, when newspaper A Bola said that he "had decided to leave." Ronaldo's complaints, "said to be centered around Real's reluctance to hand him a pay rise and a perceived lack of support for him" in his legal battle against the Spanish tax authorities, got "little sympathy among fans or the Spanish media, however" (REUTERS, 7/10).
SAYING GOODBYE: SPORT reported Real Madrid blamed Ronaldo for his departure from the club. Real Madrid said in a statement that "due to the request and the wishes expressed by the player, the club agreed to his transfer to Juventus." In the statement, Real Madrid also thanked Ronaldo for his nine years with the team and said that he will "always be one of our great symbols and a benchmark for the future" (SPORT, 7/10). Real Madrid's website published a letter from Ronaldo in which he said goodbye to the club and its fans. The letter said, "I only have feelings of enormous gratitude for this club, this fanbase and this city. I can only give thanks to everyone for the love and affection that I have received. However, I believe that the moment has arrived to open a new chapter of my life and for this, I have asked the club to trade me. I'm sorry for this and I ask everyone, and especially my fans, to please understand me" (Real Madrid).
TWITTER REACTIONS: Below is a sample of tweets related to Ronaldo's move:
