Cristiano Ronaldo: If team-mates were on my level, Real Madrid would be top

Real slumped to an abject 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid on Saturday to leave them nine points adrift of leaders Barcelona.

[MATCH REPORT: Atletico grind out victory at Real Madrid]

And while Ronaldo tried to justify his post-match remarks by citing an injury crisis, it is unlikely they will be received well by his colleagues.

"If everyone had my level, we’d be first. Every year, according to the press, it seems I’m rubbish, but the numbers and statistics don’t lie," he said, per Marca.

"I don’t want to disparage anyone, any team-mate, but when the best are not there it’s difficult to win. I like playing with Pepe, with Karim [Benzema], with [Gareth] Bale, with Marcelo.

"I don’t mean Jese, Lucas [Vazquez], [Mateo] Kovacic aren’t good, they’re very good, but…

"I don’t know if it was poor preparation in the first half of the season but we’re having a lot of injuries and that hurts us.

"We had more chances and we deserved to win but football is like that."

What are you doing, Cristiano?!

These quotes are guaranteed to create a toxic atmosphere in the Real Madrid dressing room. Imagine being Jese, Vazquez, Kovacic… what are they meant to think? Ronaldo has insinuated that while they play, Real will never challenge for the title. Give up now.

He might be their standout player, but if Ronaldo genuinely thinks he’s above the team, then he is crazy. It leaves Zinedine Zidane with a huge dilemma: should he stand by the indispensable forward’s comments?

We might reflect on these quotes in six months’ time and say this was the moment Ronaldo’s relationship with Madrid began to unravel. Do not rule out a summer move.