Cristiano Ronaldo's Retaliation to Real Madrid Fans' Boos Backed by Sergio Ramos

Real Madrid skipper Sergio Ramos has come out in support of team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, after he gestured to supporters giving the side stick at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.

Although Madrid eventually went on to win the clash with Rayo Vallecano 10-2, the Madridistas were not happy as their side fell 2-1 behind to the relegation battlers.

The frustrated Portuguese, who scored a brace on the day, had a dismissive response for the supporters, something Ramos had no issue with, per Pablo Polo of Marca:

"

When the team most needed their support, they booed us. It's at moments like this that we would have appreciated their backing, to spur us on to try to get back into the game. …

In exactly the same way as the crowd are free to cheer or boo us, the players are also free to have an opinion and show feelings. Cristiano Ronaldo is always honest and shows what he feels.

"

Here’s a look at the gesture Ronaldo made towards the fans, per SPORT English:

According to Sport, whistles have become commonplace at the home of the Madrid giants, with manager Rafael Benitez and president Florentino Perez the prime targets.

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

It looked as though it was going to be an embarrassing day for Los Blancos at one stage, as Rayo roared back from a one-goal deficit to go in front. However, a couple of red cards saw the hosts secure a vice-like grip on the game and run in nine more goals in a hugely lopsided contest.

As the Guardian’s Sid Lowe noted after the match, it was a very peculiar 90 minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu:

The match was certainly a remarkable one, even more so when you consider there will be subsequent concerns which arise from it.

Fans of most other sides would be delighted to see their team get into double figures in any circumstances, but when it comes to Real Madrid, the criteria for success is admittedly a little different.

The Real supporters are notorious for their fickleness. When things are going well for the team, there’s a cauldron-like atmosphere conjured by the home fans, making the venue one of the most difficult to play at in world football. But should even the slightest thing go wrong, the Madridistas are quick to turn on even their best players.

Denis Doyle/Getty Images

As Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC noted after the match, the fans jeering their team during a heavy win is nothing new for these players:

Of course, Ronaldo is entitled to respond. While it’s frustrating for any fan when the team get off to a disappointing start, jeering the players is unlikely to assist anyone. With stars like the Portuguese, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema on the field, there needs to be more faith in the team to turn things around eventually.

Even if Rayo had 11 men, Real would likely have had enough to have recovered from their initial setback and win the game.

There’s a tension in the air in the Spanish capital at the moment, though, with Benitez under pressure. It’s important, for the sake of this team, that angst does not transmit to the players.