Cristiano Ronaldo ‘tells pals he regrets Juventus transfer and thinks he’d have more Ballons d’Or if he stayed at Real’

CRISTIANO RONALDO has conceded in private that leaving Real Madrid for Juventus was the wrong move, according to reports. The £88million transfer in July of last year saw the winger speak of a “new challenge” as he looked to conquer Italy the same way he had Spain and England. In his first season in Turin, […]

CRISTIANO RONALDO has conceded in private that leaving Real Madrid for Juventus was the wrong move, according to reports.

The £88million transfer in July of last year saw the winger speak of a “new challenge” as he looked to conquer Italy the same way he had Spain and England.

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In his first season in Turin, Ronaldo only won the Serie A and Supercoppa Italiana titles while this year has seen injury issues dog his and Juve’s form.

But while the Old Lady are still a major threat at home and abroad, it is the individual accolades Ronaldo has always chased.

Just last week, Lionel Messi beat the 34-year-old in the race to win six Ballons d’Or.

And ABC in Spain report that Ronaldo feels his move to Juventus badly affected his chances of winning the gong.

This year’s award may have been beyond him anyway given his goal record but he is said to be intent that the 2018 honour would have been his – were he still with Real.

Such regrets have reportedly been communicated to friends and former teammates of Ronaldo.

After going goalless in November, the forward has struck in both his last Serie A games as Juve nonetheless drop points in the Scudetto race.

The Turin club are still going strong in their pursuit of a first Champions League crown in over two decades, with top spot in Group D secured.

Winning that trophy for a sixth time, or the summer’s World Cup with Portugal, will surely be Ronaldo’s best route to another Ballon d’Or.

Luka Modric won the accolade last year and some feel the Croat benefited from a stitch-up to ensure the winger was punished for leaving Madrid.

Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini said recently: “Ronaldo was really robbed of the Ballon d’Or last season, when Real Madrid decided to make sure he couldn’t win it and that was really weird.

“This season, it was more balanced. With all due respect, Modric even in his best season of his career didn’t deserve it.

“That was a signal from Real Madrid, as they wanted to stop Ronaldo winning it.

“He won the Champions League, but by that logic, van Dijk should’ve won it this year, or last year Griezmann, Pogba or Mbappe for doing extraordinary things at the World Cup. Modric made no sense.”