Cristiano Ronaldo faces first trophyless season in more than a decade

Cristiano Ronaldo has faced the trophyless season for the first time in 12 years after Manchester United were knocked out of the Champions League on Tuesday following his fairytale return.

Brought to the club last summer to help challenge for titles, the Manchester United striker is now set for a first trophyless campaign in 12 YEARS.

A 1-0 Champions League last-sixteen defeat at home to Atletico Madrid saw the Red Devils crash out of the competition 2-1 on aggregate.

Ronaldo in fact failed to muster as much of a shot in the game for just the third time in his Champions League career.

Only against Panathinaikos in 2003, Barcelona in 2011 and tonight has the great CR7 played 90 minutes in Europe’s elite competition without managing an effort on goal.

He accumulated a dismal 0.00 in expected goals, and couldn’t add to his tally of 18 strikes in all competitions for this season.

And United’s exit means the club will be going yet another term without lifting a trophy, The Sun reported.

The Europa League triumph under Jose Mourinho in 2017 was the last time the club tasted silverware.

Ronaldo on the other hand has won at least one trophy EVERY year for the last 12 campaigns.

Since United’s last success Ronaldo has won the Champions League twice and Serie A twice, as well as the Club World Cup and a host of other trophies with Real Madrid and Juventus.

Meanwhile not since the 2009/10 season, Ronaldo’s first in Madrid, has he failed to win a trophy.

But in Ronaldo’s first campaign back at Old Trafford the silverware has immediately dried up.

First the Red Devils crashed out of the Carabao Cup at the third round stage following a 1-0 home defeat to West Ham in September.

Championship outfit Middlesborough then dumped United out of the FA Cup fourth round in February, before tonight’s Champions League exit at the hands of Atletico Madrid confirms another trophyless season.

And although it’s not mathematically impossible, the 20 point gap to Premier League leaders Manchester City is not going to be overhauled.