Real Madrid secured a hard fought 2-1 victory over Sporting Lisbon with Cristiano Ronaldo and Alvaro Morata scoring really late to give the defending champions a lucky 2-1 triumph.
However, Sporting’s director of communication, Nuno Saraiva, was unhappy with the referee Paolo Tagliavento. Real Madrid were awarded a soft free-kick in the 89th minute which Ronaldo stepped up and scored to start their comeback.
Unsurprisingly, Nuno Saraiva had some scathing comments to make on the decisions made by the referee. Speaking to Portuguese daily A Bola, he said:
"When a team like Real Madrid feels the need to repeat constantly they are the best club in the world, and what's worse, require external support from the middle part of the first half for a defeat that seemed safe, that shows how great we are.
"In the Bernabeu we were enormous on and off the pitch. We don't live for moral victories, because they serve for little. But we continue together, united, and we will fight with the players and the coach who are the pride of any Sporting fan."
Saraiva spoke specifically about the referee. "They have not explained to us why they sent off the coach. When he left the team was uneasy. But every day you have to find something funny and laugh at it. When the report of the game comes out, we'll laugh. Oh and was it a foul on Cristiano? It was not, no."
Win over Sporting Lisbon a warning for Real Madrid says Cristiano Ronaldo
Speaking to the media after the game, Cristiano Ronaldo was heard saying, “This is what Real Madrid is all about and comebacks like these form part of the mystique of this stadium -- but this needs to be a warning for the future”.
Ronaldo who scored, courtesy a delightful free-kick said:
"We can't be as soft as we were because teams will walk all over us. For me, Sporting's performance was not a surprise." added the Real Madrid star. Ronaldo who scored in the game, also admitted that he did not celebrate against Sporting out of respect for his old club:
"I couldn't celebrate it. This is the team that made me who I am and I have too much respect for them. They'll always be in my heart," he added. Ronaldo and Real Madrid will now be hoping to maintain their perfect start in La Liga when they face off against Espanyol on Sunday.
