"Real Madrid player, Cristiano Ronaldo & manager, Jose Mourinho 'knows' this is their last season at the Bernabeu" - Antony Kastrinakis

- What’s really going on at Madrid- by Antony Kastrinakis
You wouldn’t have thought Cristiano Ronaldo wants to quit Real Madrid judging by the way he inspired his team’s triumph against Atletico. Nor that Jose Mourinho is counting down his last season at the Bernabeu as 80,000 fans cheered him to the rafters.

And yet.

Before and after Real’s 2-0 derby win on Saturday, top sources at the club told me the two are on their way. Categorically. Well, as categorical as anyone can be, about the Bernabeu soap opera.

Sources close to Real Madrid president Florentino Perez described the situation as “unsustainable”. With both.

The word behind the scenes was that BOTH Ronaldo and Mourinho “know” this is their last season at the Bernabeu.

Ronaldo hasn’t got the new deal he wants, including 100 per cent of his image rights. Madrid do not support him enough in the FIFA Ballon d’Or propaganda war. Madrid do not protect him enough.

He needed eight stitches above his left eye after an horrific elbow from Levante’s David Navarro last month. Madrid said nothing. At United, Alex Ferguson’s outrage would have dominated the news agenda.

Perez is rumoured to have told the winger he can leave but it would cost “enough money to buy Lionel Messi”.

Sir Alex says United have first option and Ronaldo would love to come back.

True. But for how much? Is it worth it? He will be 28 in the summer and will have no resale value. A fee freely discussed in high circles is £120million.

It would be the greatest transfer in United’s history but also a financial fiasco despite the shirt sales. How could United chief executive David Gill justify selling Ronaldo for £80m at 24 and rebuying him for much more at 28 years of age?

It cannot happen unless Madrid accept a lesser fee — which they cannot justify to their own fans. It would not be enough to “buy Messi” anyway.

Perez faces a presidential election in the summer. If anyone tells you Real will accept a cut-price fee from United, start laughing.

Losing Ronaldo will take some selling to the fans. Losing Mourinho less so. He was booed in midweek in the Spanish Cup, and Real are 11 points behind Barcelona and still in THIRD place, and barely convincing in the Champions League.

Then add Mourinho’s high-profile fall-outs with stars like Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos, who said after the derby: “The future of Mourinho does not depend on me. Each one is free to decide his future.” Ouch. Nevertheless, there is no one like the Special One for a special occasion — like the local derby in a season mired in mediocrity.

He challenged fans to boo him again at 9.20pm, 40 minutes before kick-off.

On the dot, Mourinho strolled out and stood next to 150 photographers and cameramen, all lenses trained on him.

Around 3,000 early-comers applauded. When his name was announced before kick-off 80,000 fans cheered. Great tactics. On and off the pitch.

So, where next for Ronaldo and Mourinho? Chelsea, City or Paris St Germain? Take your pick.