Former Real Madrid defender Christoph Metzelder has said forward Cristiano Ronaldo is one of just a few untouchable players at the Champions League holders.
Los Blancos sold Angel di Maria and Xabi Alonso in the summer, two players who played a key role in helping the side win the Copa del Rey and Decima last season, and replaced them with Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez.
And speaking to German sports magazine Kicker, Metzelder said the club showed in the transfer window it was happy to dispense of some of the so-called stars. But he added it was a different story with Ronaldo, who he described as ‘untouchable.’
“Its part of Madrid’s strategy to always sign new stars. They have a feeling that they cannot afford to have a summer without a big transfer,” the German said.
And he continued: “They are the best team in Europe as Champions League winners, yet they keep bringing in new players for crucial positions. Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the few untouchables, plus some of the Spain internationals. All of the others are interchangeable.”
He also sought a reason why the club sold di Maria, whose exit has been unpopular with Madridistas.
“Angel Di Maria did not do enough for Madrid’s brand. But if you’d asked his team-mates, they would probably all have said that Madrid should have held on to him. It was the same for Mesut Ozil last year,” he stated.
