"Masterclass written all over it" - Fans believe Cristiano Ronaldo is going to 'smash Atletico again' ahead of Manchester United's UCL clash

Manchester United fans on social media have backed Cristiano Ronaldo to help the Red Devils get past his favorite opponents Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League.

Ralf Rangnick's side host Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie tonight. Both sides remain hopeful of progressing into the next round after the first leg ended 1-1 at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium last month.

However, some Manchester United fans are confident that Ronaldo will fire them into the quarter-finals of the Champions League at Old Trafford tonight. The 37-year-old has scored more goals against Diego Simeone's side than any other team in his career.

Here are some of the best tweets as the Portugal international gears up to face his 'favorite' opponents:

The former Real Madrid superstar has found the back of the net 25 times from 36 matches against Atletico Madrid so far. He has also provided nine assists against the La Liga champions.

Ronaldo has played a part in knocking Atletico Madrid out of the Champions League five times. The forward will be looking to repeat the trick when the Red Devils lock horns with Simeone's side tonight.

Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo regain form just in time for Atletico Madrid clash

The 37-year-old became a major talking point in the world of football when he missed the Red Devils' league clash with Manchester City earlier this month. The Old Trafford outfit suffered a 4-1 defeat at the hands of their derby rivals in Ronaldo's absence.

While the player was said to be injured, there were claims that he was dropped by Ralf Rangnick due to tactical reasons. His sister added fuel to the fire by liking an Instagram post that claimed the same.

The Portuguese then returned to Manchester United's starting lineup for their league match against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend. He marked the occasion by scoring a hat-trick and helping his side to a 3-2 victory.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has now scored 18 goals and provided three assists in 31 matches for the Red Devils. He will be looking to add more to his tally against Atletico Madrid tonight.

It remains to be seen if the superstar can help Rangnick and Co beat Los Rojiblancos at Old Trafford.

About the author

Dakir is a European and Indian football journalist at Sportskeeda with an overall experience of 10 years. Holding a Master’s degree in Journalism & Mass Communication, and currently pursuing Master’s in Sports Journalism from Sheffield Hallam University, he is a seasoned football journalist who has interviewed the likes of former Liverpool star John Arne Riise, covered the entire 2022-23 Indian Super League season of the Kerala Blasters, and has delivered a seminar at an international conference held by St. Albert's College, Ernakulam.

Thanks to his extensive academic background in journalism, Dakir understands the importance of accuracy and spends a significant amount of time researching the subject. In today’s data-driven world of football, where players are perceived as machines, he prides himself amplify the voices of the people that make football the beautiful game that it is.

He started following football in 2013, and more specifically, Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool, and admires Jurgen Klopp for his untouched charisma and unmatched legacy. A perpetual underdog supporter, he is a fan of under-fire Reds forward Darwin Nunez and can’t wait for him to show the world what he truly is. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s iconic “corner taken quickly” corner assist for Divock Origi in Liverpool’s 4-0 UCL semifinal win over Barcelona left a lasting impact on him.

When not writing, Dakir enjoys indulging in his guilty pleasure - watching mass commercial movies.

Know More