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Cape Town - Fans around the world including Bafana Bafana captain Itumeleng Khune on Wednesday, pointed to the absence Cristiano Ronaldo as the reason for holders Real Madrid crashing out of the Champions League.
The reign of Real Madrid in Europe is over and their season could well be too after they were stunned by a 4-1 defeat at home to Ajax Amsterdam on Tuesday.
In seven days, Madrid have been knocked out of the Copa del Rey, La Liga's title race and now the last 16 of the Champions League, the competition they had come to believe was their own.
After their shock defeat, Ronaldo started trending on Twitter with fans blaming Los Blancos' struggles on their foolish decision to sell their greatest ever player, and record-goalscorer to Juventus.
Pundits, such as former Everton manager David Moyes pointed to Madrid losing Ronaldo's 50 goal-per-season impact and winning mentality as a big reason for their decline.
You don’t know what u have until it’s gone @realmadrid #VALUE your players ???? #Lesson #Ronaldo ?? pic.twitter.com/4WAkl1OiPo
— IIKHUNE3216 (@IIKHUNE_32_16) March 5, 2019
?? Bale: "We are more of a team now that Ronaldo is gone."
— Football Tweet (@Football__Tweet) March 5, 2019
?? Carvajal: "Raul's career at Real Madrid was better than Cristiano's."
?? Ceballos: "You won't notice Ronaldo's absence."
?? Benzema: "I used to play for Ronaldo, but now I'm the leader." pic.twitter.com/vUusVDJER4
David Moyes on Real Madrid: "Real Madrid are a lot of goals down on last season and that's because of Cristiano Ronaldo's exit." pic.twitter.com/ZpDO0EtbpP
— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) March 5, 2019
?? Real Madrid in the Champions League..
— Enock Kobina Essel (@kobinaessel39) March 5, 2019
Before Ronaldo:
- 04/05: R16
- 05/06: R16
- 06/07: R16
- 07/08: R16
- 08/09: R16
With Ronaldo:
- 09/10: R16
- 10/11: SF
- 11/12: SF
- 12/13: SF
- 13/14: W
- 14/15: SF
- 15/16: W
- 16/17: W
- 17/18: W
After Ronaldo:
- 18/19: R16 pic.twitter.com/3yP3H6IpDQ
Perez: Ronaldo can leave if he wants, he's not the president, I am!
— Mr Sam (@XammyOfficial) March 5, 2019
Marcelo and Casemiro: No he shouldn't, he's a key factor to the team
Bale and co: He can leave, he's not that important after all
*Ajax 5-3 Madrid*
Casemiro: pic.twitter.com/5hW83jqMSI
Zidane:
— MKnaldo7 (@MKnaldo7) March 5, 2019
"I always say the same thing,
I can't imagine Real Madrid without Cristiano Ronaldo." pic.twitter.com/6kCblkpKEQ
Real Madrid this season:
— Olaitan Y. Olusola (@amuiludun) March 5, 2019
?? Made Spain fire Lopetegui just for them to fire him months after
?? Lost all the Clásicos, including a 5-1 defeat
?? Didn't buy a substitute for Ronaldo and bought Courtois while having Navas
?? Out of all competitions in March@venusakingba pic.twitter.com/8zcJ7Kl9BH
Ajax singing “Always look on the bright side of life” in the Bernabeu. "Where is cristiano Ronaldo".
— Divine? (@chinonso7777) March 6, 2019
Real Madrid pic.twitter.com/XMli9fqCrl
How Real Madrid should have held on to Ronaldo and Zidane... pic.twitter.com/FQn9Wt4TN5
— Ganesh Gautam (@theganeshgautam) March 6, 2019
Zidane was clever to leave Real when Ronaldo did', says Gullit@GullitR pic.twitter.com/deSRMObZly
— My football (@Myfoot12345678) March 6, 2019
WHO NEEDS RONALDO? pic.twitter.com/25XGrvMZEy
— insta: @MFutebolisticos™? (@Mfutebolisticos) March 5, 2019
Real Madrid's selling of Ronaldo is up there as one of the biggest mistake in footballing history.. #UCL pic.twitter.com/7posgI58mY
— Ilyas Ishaq (@zeecrib) March 5, 2019
Cristiano Ronaldo watching Real Madrid collapse without him...pic.twitter.com/VTykqI9UJv
— Sunday League FC (@SundayLeagueFC) March 5, 2019
All this “end of an era talk” is coming now for Real Madrid? Seems to me the era ended when Cristiano Ronaldo moved on after winning three consecutive Champions League. Can’t continue that success forever.
— Matteo Bonetti (@TheCalcioGuy) March 5, 2019
