‘Give me Cristiano!’ – Ranieri’s brilliant response to Ronaldo question
Robin Bairner
- 19 Nov 2021 17:04 GMT
- 5 min read
Cristiano Ronaldo is not an impediment to any manager, Claudio Ranieri has said ahead of his Watford side’s meeting with Manchester United on Saturday.
Ronaldo returned to Man Utd at the end of the summer transfer window, but despite a profoundly successful start to the campaign personally, similar joy for the team has not followed.
The Portuguese has nine goals in 13 games for Man Utd this term, including a number of vital late winners and equalisers, but the Red Devils have struggled overall. They are sixth in the Premier League, and while they are well placed to qualify in the Champions League, performances have not been as strong as anticipated.
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Ronaldo’s role has inevitably been called into question, with the suggestion that he is too great a character for manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to handle – and too dominant in in the team.
Such claims have been waved away by Ranieri.
Give me Cristiano, please! It’s no problem for me. I’d let him play all the minutes!
- Claudio RanieriAsked if he thinks Ronaldo might be a problem to manage, he chuckled as he responded: “No, no, no, no, no! Give me Cristiano, please! It’s no problem for me. I’d let him play all the minutes!
“Cristiano is one of the best players of the world. A lot of boys look at him and look up to him as one of the best players in the world. He’s a great attraction for football.”
Ronaldo or Messi? Ranieri chooses
Ranieri was also quizzed on whether he prefers Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, although the former Premier League title winner with Leicester would not be drawn into the debate.
“Why do you have to choose? Give me all these players. They’d all play, I’m sure of it!” he laughed.
Certainly, Ranieri’s Watford could use an injection of quality as they sit on 10 points and in 17th place ahead of the visit of Ronaldo and Man Utd.
