Search the Community

Real Madrid star plays down Alonso spat with United legend 24 February 2010 - 10:49 | Sport.co.uk Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain has played down the public spat between the former Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo and ex-Liverpool FC midfielder Xabi Alonso, that ensued during their recent 6-2 La Liga victory over Villarreal. The former Premier League players appeared to have a dispute over who should take the penalty which resulted in Madrid’s sixth goal. Ronaldo, who left Manchester United in the summer in a world record £80 million deal, initially took the ball, before a number of teammates, notably Raul, decided it should be taken by the former Liverpool FC midfielder who was yet to score for the club he too joined in the summer. The former Liverpool FC star subsequently scored his first goal for Real Madrid, however his teammate and Manchester United legend Ronaldo was clearly irked by his former Premier League rival’s decision to take the penalty and appeared to snub Alonso’s goal celebration. Despite the public spat at the Bernabeu, Higuain, who took penalties for the club last season dismissed any notion of a bust-up. Both Alonso and Ronaldo left the Premier League in the summer, after enjoying glittering careers at Liverpool FC and Manchester United. The former was embroiled in one of the most protracted transfer sagas of last summer which resulted in Anfield supremo Rafa Benitez eventually relenting in allowing the Spaniard to move to the Bernabeu for a reputed £30 million. Ronaldo was granted his leave from Old Trafford a year after he expressed his desire to fulfil his boyhood dream of playing for Real Madrid. Sir Alex Ferguson maintains Ronaldo is still the best player in the world. The Real Madrid forward told Spanish TV station Canal+: "These are circumstances of the game, Xabi had the vision of scoring his first goal for Madrid and nothing more," "If I'm called upon then I'll take it, but the takers are as previously designated," "Kaka takes them very well, has not missed any, and so do Cristiano, Raul... and Xabi did very well.”