Reports: Spanish media 'confirm' that Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave Real Madrid

What’s the story?

After Portuguese outlet, A Bolo, broke the news that Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave reputed Spanish outlet Marca have confirmed the veracity of the story! Apparently, Ronaldo has expressed his deep annoyance and outrage at the club’s treatment of the Spanish Prosecutor’s Office complaint concerning the Portuguese’s alleged tax fraud.

Marca confirms that Ronaldo has communicated his decision to Florentino Perez and Jose Angel Sanchez and the club’s honchos are desperately trying to calm their biggest superstar down.

In case you didn’t know

Cristiano Ronaldo has been accused of defrauding the Spanish exchequer of 15 million Euros – money that he and the company that represent him, Jorge Mendes’ Gestifute, has been accused of re-routing his image rights revenues through various shell companies in the Isle of Man and other tax havens. This follows soon after Lionel Messi’s 21-month sentence was upheld the nation’s Supreme Court.

The heart of the matter

It appears that the four-time Balon d’Or winner considers the treatment meted out is unfair as he has been used as an example in a disproportionate way – especially considering that he tried to solve any possible errors with his taxes of his own volition (before the charges were even leveled against him). Ronaldo had issued his first response yesterday (on Instagram, of all places) to the tax fraud complaint made against him: saying sometimes the best answer is "to be quiet".

What next?

Real Madrid do not have a history of holding players against their will and it is unlikely they will start anytime soon but Perez and Zidane will be desperate to commit Ronaldo’s future to the club and they will hope that given time to calm down over the summer (and participation in the Confederation’s Cup) and given the club’s future actions in the case, the Portuguese will be convinced to rethink his decision.

Author’s Take

The world’s two biggest sporting superstars getting embroiled in such controversies is never great for the game, and it can only be hoped that the Spanish authorities come to a fair conclusion at the end of the whole shebang.

In footballing terms, it would not be ideal for Real Madrid to lose the services of Ronaldo, who despite being 32-years-old appears to be in peak goalscoring form... if this impasse doesn’t end and Ronaldo does leave Los Blancos, it will be a massive blow to their hopes of retaining the League and Champions League double that they fought so hard to win this year.

Manchester United, PSG, and of course China, are possible destinations with these clubs having already registered a level of interest in bringing the player to their team as well as being a member of the cash-rich elite that can afford his possible 180 million euro transfer fee and 400 million euros-a-week wages.