Ronaldo insists Champions League success is not guaranteed for PSG
By Tom Gott
Brazilian legend Ronaldo has warned Paris Saint-Germain that their expensive squad of superstars cannot guarantee them Champions League success.
The French giants added Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Georginio Wijnaldum, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes to a squad which already included Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, with most fans now believing it could be near-impossible to stop the Parisians from winning Europe's biggest prize.
It's a pressure which Ronaldo knows all too well. Between 2002 and 2007, he was part of Real Madrid's famous Galacticos - an expensive squad featuring world-beaters like Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Raul, Roberto Carlos and Iker Casillas - but not only did Los Blancos not win the trophy, they didn't even reach the final.
"It is still too early to say who will win the Champions League," Ronaldo told DAZN (via Marca). "The outlook begins to take shape in the quarter-finals.
"Paris Saint-Germain are in pole position to win, but one thing is to talk and the other is to play. There are many influencing factors. I played for Real Madrid for almost five seasons, in the Galacticos team, and I never won the Champions League.
"Winning is never mathematical, even if you have the best in your team, and that also applies to PSG."
We'll get a good idea of PSG's European credentials over the coming months, with Mauricio Pochettino's side drawn in a tough group with also includes Manchester City, RB Leipzig and Club Brugge.
In those games, Ronaldo will be hoping to see something special from Mbappe, whom the Brazilian believes reminds him of himself.
"He has similar characteristics to me," Ronaldo continued. "He has some crazy qualities, with a remarkable technique that he can execute at great speed.
"He goes at defenders and attacks goalkeepers, and despite being very young, he has already come a long way. I like Mbappe."