‘Real Madrid selling Ronaldo a historic error’

Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has criticised the club’s decision to sell Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus, describing the transfer as a “historic error”.

Ronaldo touched down in Turin on Sunday ahead of his medical after Serie A champions Juventus agreed a €112 million (£99m/$131m) deal with Madrid on Tuesday.

A five-time Ballon d’Or winner and Madrid’s all-time leading goalscorer, Ronaldo helped the Spanish giants to a third consecutive Champions League crown last season after netting 44 goals in all competitions.

Calderon was responsible for luring Ronaldo to the Santiago Bernabeu from Manchester United in 2009 and has lambasted Madrid’s decision to part with the 33-year-old superstar for such a fee.

“It’s very sad that they have sold a player like Cristiano Ronaldo, it’s a real pity,” Calderon told AS.

“With what it cost me to sign him, the effort that we made to bring him to Madrid…. Manchester [United] did not want to sell him and it was very difficult. And now they have sold him for 100 million euros.

“There isn’t a player who scores 60 goals a year for you and is worth to you 100 million euros.”

Calderon added: “Selling Cristiano is not good news, either for 100 million or a billion. But it is true that we put a clause of a billion euros to discourage those interested in him in the future, but at the same time, to show that there was no other player like him. It’s a historic error.”