The Real Madrid star reacted angrily to suggestions that he doesn’t get on with Gareth Bale and cited the Man United team of 2008 as an example of why friendships don’t matter

Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed he rarely spoke to three of his former Manchester United team-mates with whom he shared some of his greatest triumphs.

The Real Madrid superstar hit out at questions relating to the strained relationship he is reported to endure with Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema ahead of the Spanish side’s Champions League clash with Roma.

The 31-year-old insisted friendships off the pitch mean nothing as long as his team is winning on it and claimed he rarely spoke to the British core which played a key role in helping him win his first European title back in 2008.

He said: “Is it important have friends at the squad? You can say this. I won the Champions League with Manchester United and I didn’t talk with [Paul] Scholes, [Rio] Ferdinand and [Ryan] Giggs.”