Dolores Aveiro, Cristiano Ronaldo’s mother and biggest supporter, elected not to watch her son play on Tuesday night.
Manchester United hosted Brighton in a crucial Premier League match, but Dolores was seen in Lisbon cheering on Manchester City, United’s arch-rivals.
Pep Guardiola and his team traveled to Portugal to face Sporting CP in the Champions League, with Dolores, a die-hard Sporting fan, in attendance.
She also made a point of donning a Sporting Lisbon shirt and scarf to demonstrate her support for her favorite team.
Given Dolores’ past statements about her wish for Ronaldo to return to his boyhood club, it’s no wonder she opted to watch him play.
However, the game began only 15 minutes before United’s Premier League match versus Brighton at Old Trafford.
That meant she had to miss out on seeing her adored kid in action.
“She’s a great football fan,” Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand stated on BT Sport when Dolores was spotted in the crowd.
“I’m a huge Sporting KC supporter. Cristiano Ronaldo grew up in that area.”
Dolores and Sporting’s night got off to a bad start as Riyad Mahrez handed City the lead just seven minutes into the encounter.
Things worsened ten minutes later when Bernardo Silva scored a half-volley miracle goal to make it 2-0.
Then, just after the half-hour mark, Phil Foden made it three, Dolores could have thought she’d gone to the wrong game.
Especially after Ronaldo scored against Brighton to end a six-game goal drought.
Before halftime, ex-Benfica player Silva added his second goal against his former employers’ arch rivals, making it 4-0 to the visitors.
It was five minutes before the hour, and Raheem Sterling responded with a thunderbolt of his own, cutting in on his right and looping into the top corner in classic style.
After the break, Guardiola and his teammates showed mercy by not fully twisting the knife and were content to ping the ball around from side to side.
It was a 5-0 victory for the visitors, and it was a result that sent shockwaves across Europe.
