Cristiano Ronaldo’s form for Real Madrid could be suffering because of his frequent trips to Morocco by private jet, it is claimed.
The 30-year-old Portuguese star has scored in just five of his 13 La Liga games this season as Real stutter under new boss Rafa Benitez.
And there is an increasing fear that his constant travels could be affecting his on-field performances, according to several sources.
Reports last week in Spanish daily newspaper SPORT claimed the club was concerned because he was flying to Morocco several times a week.
There he is reported to be spending time with close friend Badr Hari, a Moroccan kickboxer who has shared Instagram photos of himself with Ronaldo in the past.
Website ExtraConfidential.com said the striker tended to travel four days a week to the capital Rabat to see Hari, leaving on his Gulfstream G200 around 3pm from Monday to Thursday after morning training and returning the same night.
It reported Ronaldo kept his plane at Torrejon de Ardoz Air Base, just outside Madrid, where David Beckham used to fly in and out of when he played for Real Madrid.
Rabat is around 1,000 kilometres from Madrid, with a flight time of 1hour 45 minutes.
The website wrote: “The Portuguese star tends to use it from Monday to Thursday about 3pm to return to Madrid the same night so he can arrive on time the next day for his training sessions.
“In the Real Madrid dressing room there is great concern about Cristiano Ronaldo’s performances and his continual trips that he makes on board his recently-acquired private jet.
“His most frequent trips are to Morocco where Badr Hari, the best friend and kick boxer he tends to spend much of his free time with, lives near to the capital Rabat.”
The story was picked up by respected daily newspapers like Catalan-based El Periodico which titled a piece it published four days ago: “Cristiano Ronaldo’s trips to Morocco worry Real Madrid.”
Badr Hari joked in one of his Instagram snaps that he and Ronaldo were "just married" as they relaxed by the pool recently, with the former Man United man being held up by the kickboxer.
Moroccan journalist, Mehdi Benkirane, has claimed that Ronaldo has also been meeting with 27-year-old agent Ouzifi Anis - who has since been spotted in photographs with the Real Madrid star and Hari.
The Ballon D'or winner was also criticised over his lifestyle on French TV chat showTouche pas a mon sport last night.
Talking about the reasons behind Ronaldo's comparatively poor form, French journalist Daniele Riolo said: "Ronaldo takes three or four jets a week to see a friend in Morocco and cuddle with him."
The daily sports show is presented by Estelle Denis, wife of former France national manager Raymond Domenech.
It is not clear if the 'him' Riolo is referring to was Ronaldo's friend Hari or someone else.
While Ronaldo's travels may have upset some at the Bernabeu, he is, in fact, not breaking any club rules.
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