Former Chelsea Star Reveals Ronaldo Wants to Leave Manchester United Because of 'Lionel Messi Fear'

• Former Chelsea and Celtic striker Tony Cascarino has revealed reason behind Ronaldo's desire to leave Manchester United
• The Portuguese superstar has reportedly asked to leave the club after just a season since his return to Old Trafford
• Cristiano Ronaldo is yet to report to camp for pre-season ahead of the 2022/23 camapign under new manager Erik Ten Hag

Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave Manchester United over fear of losing his UEFA Champions League record to main rival Lionel Messi, according to Tony Cascarino.

Manchester United failed to qualify for Europe's elite club competition after finishing sixth in the 2021/22 season, leaving Ronaldo's 141 goal haul in the UEFA Champions League at threat.

Although Messi has 125 goals, Cascarino believes Ronaldo wants to keep the challenge on by playing in the premier tournament.

“Ronaldo is a player, as always, that has an ego. A lot of it is about him but the teams he’s played in have been successful, so you always go with that as a team player," Cascarino told talkSPORT.

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“Great, he scores goals, he gets the accolades, he’s one of the greatest that’s ever played the game. You can have all that and that’s fine, as long as you’re winning. When you don’t win, now you’ve got a problem.”

Apart from the goals, Messi could equal Ronaldo's five UEFA Champions League titles should he lift the competition with Paris Saint Germain.

Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo is not expected to join his Manchester United teammates for pre-season on Monday.

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Ronaldo has asked the Red Devils to allow him to leave the club once they receive a suitable offer as he wants to keep playing in the UEFA Champions League.

Manchester United expects Ronaldo to resume pre-season training on Monday, July 4th at the club’s Carrington training base despite seeking a move away from the club The Sun reports.