Ronaldo pomp fails to hide cracks
Ronaldo was officially unveiled in a huge media event on Monday, but there are suggestions that the treatment of Fernando Morientes - the man who will ultimately be replaced in the team - has riled many players.
Primarily, it is said that Raul wore a Morientes shirt underneath his kit in the European Supercup, but the forward's failure to score in the win over Feyenoord meant that he did not unveil the clear sign.
There are also suggestions that Ronaldo, given the number 11 because of Morientes' contractual right to the number 9 shirt, may be handed his preferred shirt in the Champions League.
This would obviously exacerbate feelings against the Brazilian who apparently took major contractual risks to snub Inter, a club that have unstintingly supported him through two full years of recuperation from major injury.
There is believed to be a clause that will freeze payment to the player and Inter if Ronaldo is ruled out for more than six months with injury, and the World Cup winner has taken a substantial drop in both salary and sponsorship to make the move.
Even his former Inter team-mates seem less than delighted with the player's eventual exit, with Argentine star Javier Zanetti admitting he was disappointed that Ronaldo did not say goodbye.
"He went away without saying anything to any of us, he could have at least said goodbye," said Zanetti.
"It's true that he didn't have any obligation if he didn't want to say goodbye to us but in a place where you spent so much time with the same people, and shared so many things, I think it would have been the correct thing to do.
"Aside from that, I wish him all the luck in his new team because he has made a major effort to be able to play football again.
"I hope he achieves his dreams."
