Cristiano Ronaldo was booed by Real Madrid fans despite scoring one goal and laying on another in their 2-0 Uefa Champions League last 16 second leg win over Roma on Tuesday.
Some sections of the Bernabeu crowd voiced their displeasure at the club’s all-time leading scorer because he also missed a few scoring chances as Madrid reached the quarter-finals with a 4-0 aggregate victory.
Ronaldo’s teammate, Spain defender Sergio Ramos, gave his backing to the Portugal forward.
"I would tell the fans to think a little first," Ramos was quoted as saying by the Marca newspaper. "I respect them but when things don't go well they should support their players because we all want the best for Real Madrid.
“He’s a historic player for Real Madrid, he keeps proving that year after year, look at what he’s achieved.
“When the fans at the Bernabeu boo you it is because they want to transmit their demands to you, they want to push us and see the best performance from us.”
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Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said the booing would simply spur Ronaldo on.
“It will only motivate him,” Zidane said. “The important thing is that every time Cristiano is on the pitch he wants to score and he keeps doing it.”
Ronaldo scored in the 64th minute before setting up the second goal of the night for James Rodriguez four minutes later.
Earlier this month Zidane vouched for the harmony in the Real dressing room after comments by Ronaldo that hinted at divisions.
The Portuguese was quoted after last month’s 1-0 home defeat by Atletico Madrid as saying that if all his team mates were at his level, Madrid would be top of the Primera Liga instead of third.
Ronaldo said later that he had been misquoted.
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