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What's the rumour?
Real Madrid players reportedly want to see rivals Atletico Madrid beat Serie A outfit Juventus in the second leg of their Round of 16 fixture with the presence of their former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo being the primary reason for the concern.
In case you didn't know...
A resilient Los Rojiblancos side registered a thumping 2-0 victory over the Serie A leaders at the Wanda Metropolitano earlier this week, earning a decisive advantage ahead of the second leg of the fixture next month.
Despite having had a penalty and a goal denied due to VAR, late goals from defenders Jose Gimenez and Diego Godin earned the Spanish side a much-needed win.
The Bianconeri now face the mammoth task of scoring against one of the best defences in Europe but home advantage could help them get past the solid back line.
Ronaldo, who could not find the net during the game, made headlines the next day after he gestured at Atletico fans to remind them how many Champions League trophies he has won compared to the LaLiga side.
The heart of the matter
Spanish publication AS now claims that Los Blancos players would rather see their city rivals go through to the next stages of the Champions League than see Juventus qualify.
The report claims that the players are aware of how lethal former teammate Ronaldo can get in the Champions League and are wary of the fact that the Portuguese can easily turn a game around in his favour.
The 34-year-old forward boasts of being the top-scorer in the competition with a record 121 goals to his name. This season, however, he only has one Champions League goal to his name so far.
What's next?
After failing to make a statement on his return to Madrid, Ronaldo will definitely up his game in the hopes of keeping his side's Champions League hopes alive and proving his worth in the process.
It is, of course, cautious to be thinking so far ahead considering Ronaldo's record in the Champions League but it would be foolish to think that Atletico would go any easier on them.
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