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Santiago Solari Responds to Cristiano Ronaldo's Real Madrid Comments

Rory Marsden@@roomarsdenFeatured ColumnistDecember 12, 2018

HUESCA, SPAIN - DECEMBER 9: coach Santiago Solari of Real Madrid  during the La Liga Santander  match between SD Huesca v Real Madrid at the Estadio El Alcoraz on December 9, 2018 in Huesca Spain (Photo by Jeroen Meuwsen/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Soccrates Images/Getty Images

Real Madrid manager Santiago Solari has responded to Cristiano Ronaldo's claim that Juventus are "more humble and more of a family than Madrid." 

Ronaldo joined The Old Lady in the summer, and the Los Blancos coach said Ronaldo will always be a Real legend but disputed the Portuguese forward's claim, per Adriana Garcia of ESPN FC: 

"Humility is a virtue of the greats. That is why, and more so for its values, this club has won so much. Cristiano will be ours forever, he is a living history of Real Madrid. His feelings belong to him and no one can judge them."

Per Goal's Liam Blackburn, Ronaldo recently told the Italian press that his new Juventus side "is the best group in which I've played." 

He qualified his comments by saying "at Madrid they are humble," but that he feels it more acutely at his new club.

Juventus' Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo attends a training session on the eve of their UEFA Champions League group H football match against Young Boys, on December 11, 2018 in Turin. (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP)        (Photo credit should rea
MARCO BERTORELLO/Getty Images

Ronaldo left Real after nine seasons in the summer, joining Juve for £99.2 million and leaving a huge hole in the Los Blancos attack having netted 450 goals. 

Real and Juve are both in UEFA Champions League action on Wednesday, with the La Liga side hosting CSKA Moscow having already secured top spot in Group G. 

The Old Lady need to win at Young Boys to ensure Manchester United do not leapfrog them into first place in Group H.

There is a possibility Ronaldo, 33, may come up against Madrid in the knockout rounds of the Champions League.

If Juve do not manage to keep hold of top spot, it could be as early as the last 16.

Both the Portuguese superstar and Real are going for their fourth consecutive titles in Europe's elite competition, with Ronaldo having top-scored in the tournament in each of the last three seasons when Los Blancos triumphed.

The former United man has been at least the joint-top scorer in the Champions League in each of the last six seasons.

So far in 2018-19, though, he has scored only once in four group appearances.

Wednesday's clash against Young Boys could be his opportunity to make gains on Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski, who top this season's scoring chart with six goals each.