Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas said star team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo is hurt when the Santiago Bernabeu crowd whistles at him.
Despite being Madrid’s all-time leading goalscorer and calls for unity in the Spanish capital, four-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo was targeted by the club’s boo-boys during Sunday’s 3-0 LaLiga win over Real Sociedad.
Ronaldo, who had been made a scapegoat for Madrid’s slump of one win in five matches, reacted to the whistles before he turned boos into cheers as he set up the opener before scoring a goal himself.
“You can tell that Cristiano really loves all the fans and Sergio Ramos has said so,” Navas told SER.
“It’s not that he doesn’t care that they whistle him. It hurts him when they whistle and jeer, but he knows that the fans also support us.
“He always tries to help the team by scoring goals.”
Navas continued: “These things happen. I was a new player and it didn’t take me by surprise.
“When the fans and players are united, the team is always much stronger. So when the fans really get behind us, it gives us a huge boost – and that’s what we want.”
Pressed further on the atmosphere in the Spanish capital, Navas said: “We pay more attention to what’s going on within the team.
“You can always improve and that’s what we are trying to do. Little by little we are reaching our objectives. We feel good in ourselves, and strong.
“We don’t want to lose the good feeling of unity we have and we want to keep winning.”
COMMENTS