Former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has revealed the reasons behind Cristiano Ronaldo's exit from Juventus.
Evra believes that Ronaldo was not given the adulation he deserved at Juve, and said it was "ridiculous" to see the Portuguese megastar cast as villain during his spell in Turin.
Ronaldo's time in Italy was not without success though. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner won two Italian titles, two Italian Super Cups and one Italian Cup, but it could have been even more successful according to the former United star.
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"Cristiano needs love and respect," Evra told La Repubblica in quotes published by Goal.com.
"Instead, at Juve, he was becoming the scapegoat.
"The criticisms in Italy have been ridiculous and a bit hypocritical. It was a mistake when [Massimiliano] Allegri said: 'Cristiano will not play all the games'. There is no need to say things in public. In any case, Cristiano's only true love is Manchester United."
Evra spent time under Massimiliano Allegri in two-and-a-half seasons at the Bianconeri and feels his expertise exceeds that of Sir Alex Ferguson in some areas, but also commented on his excessive training regimes.
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"He has an incredible flair," he added. "More than [Sir Alex] Ferguson. Allegri always knows how a game will go before it starts. But in Italy, you train too much.
"If the right balance were found, the Italian teams could often win the Champions League. Instead, it pushes everything to the extreme. For me it is a sign of insecurity."
The Frenchman made 83 appearances for the club, winning three Serie A titles, two Italian Cups and one Italian Super Cup in the process.
This followed on from a glittering spell at United, where he won five Premier League crowns, four Community Shields, three League Cups, one Champions League title and one Club World Cup.
Topics: Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson, Serie A, Patrice Evra, Premier League, Juventus, Massimiliano Allegri, Cristiano Ronaldo