Wojciech Szczesny said any resentment people have of Cristiano Ronaldo is down to jealousy and pinpointed the Portuguese superstar as the key difference in Roma's 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid on Wednesday night.
Ronaldo broke the deadlock at the Stadio Olimpico before 22-year-old substitute Jese struck again on the break to leave Real firmly in control of this Champions League last-16 first-leg tie.
The hosts huffed and puffed but they couldn't find a way to break down the La Liga giants' resistance.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport, the on-loan Arsenal keeper said: "Ronaldo is an absolutely terrific player, he works very hard for his team he has the quality. [Any criticism he gets] is probably jealousy.
"I don’t think [the goal] would have gone in without the deflection. He made a very good movement and came inside the defender, and then it’s always dangerous with a player of his quality."
It was Zinedine Zidane's first Champions League encounter as a manager and it was a dream start for the Frenchman, as his side planted one foot in the quarters.
Why does Ronaldo divide opinion? Wojciech Szczesny tells us after conceding a goal to the Real Madrid star. @corktodhttps://t.co/2CvqDzSi3y
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) February 18, 2016
Szczesny refused to throw in the towel, but admitted the Italians have a huge mountain to climb.
“I feel we did well defensively. It’s not much of an enjoyment because we lost the game. That’s never a good feeling.
I think we played, overall, a good game against very strong opposition, so we've improved, but then again we’ve lost the game so I don’t want to talk too much about positives.
“Tactically we were prepared very well and i think the team played to the formation and di very well. We just lacked that little bit of quality in the final third that they had and that made the difference.
"Had we taken one or two chances it could have been a completely different story so we haven’t lost this tie yet. It's a very difficult task to go to he Bernabeu and win by two goals but that’s what you’re in this competition for; to go to stadiums like that and try and do your best."
Madrid's Mateo Kovačić, who came on as a second-half sub for Isco, accepts that his side are now well placed to make the quarter-finals but feels there is still a job to be done in the second leg.
Also speaking to RTÉ Sport, he said: "Against an Italian team it is always difficult because they defend well. The pace was frenetic it was difficult to get space but the second goal was all important. That said, there is still 90 minutes to play and anything can happen. We will have to concentrate fully in the second leg."
