Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario is coming under increasing pressure for his ownership, as both of his major investment flounder.
Ronaldo is the majority shareholder at both Cruzeiro in his native Brazil and Real Valladolid in his adopted home of Spain. Cruzeiro have just named Ze Roberto as their new manager, following 8 matches without a victory. They hover precariously above the drop zone in Serie A, with just five points saving them, following minimal investment this season, as per Diario AS.
Meanwhile things are little better in Valladolid. La Pucela were relegated last season from La Liga amid reports Ronaldo had agreed a deal to sell the club. That did not come to fruition, and over the summer Valladolid sold the majority of their star players for just under €37m, but spent just €4.5m.
no creo que haya que decir nada más que esto. pic.twitter.com/4Pe0gWGNp4
— A L B I (@albaamc_) September 10, 2023
Just days before the start of the season, Ronaldo sacked Sporting Director Fran Sanchez in the middle of the transfer window, and despite the goal being a return to La Liga, Valladolid have just four points from their opening five games.
Following the end of the transfer window, fans protested his running of the club outside the Estadio Nuevo Jose Zorrilla, and during their most recent match, a 1-1 home draw with Elche, chants demanding Ronaldo leave were heard inside the ground.
Ronaldo had initially earned praise for running a sustainable operation at La Pucela, but that narrative has turned on the Brazilian, due to a perceived lack of investment in recent seasons, while the optics of him appointing a former Cruzeiro manager in Paulo Pezzolano did not go down well with some. As things stand, his appointment with seven games to go, is one of a number of decisions being questioned by Pucelanos.
