Real Madrid officials are trying to make sense of Cristiano Ronaldo's outburst, complete with an explicit wish to leave the club.

A Real Madrid high official who asked to remain unnamed said on Monday that Ronaldo's outburst was "whimsical and ill-timed". The source confirmed that Ronaldo wants to leave, but noted that "nobody knows why".

Ronaldo did not celebrate his goals on Sunday.

"I do not celebrate my goals when I am sad. I am sad due to a professional issue that the club knows about. That is why I was not celebrating," he said afterwards.

"I am not happy, the people here know why. I am not going to talk more about this, there are more important things."

Club sources said that the winger did not even give president Florentino Perez more specific reasons when the two met Saturday at the player's request.

"Everything has come by surprise," a Real Madrid source said.

"It all comes with a two-week break for national team duty, and just a few days after winning the Spanish Supercup against Barcelona.

"Nobody even remembers that and we should be partying still."

Ronaldo's agent, Jorge Mendes, said in a statement that he knows why the player feels this way, but he also declined to say why.

"It is up to Cristiano Ronaldo himself to disclose (these reasons) or not, as he sees fit," Mendes said.

He said he was "not surprised" by Ronaldo's comments.

"Anyone who knows the relationship I have with Cristiano Ronaldo knows he will always have my full solidarity," Mendes said.