HISTORY-MAKER RONALDO ALWAYS SCORES “Given the chance, he will score.” So said Diego Maradona of Cristiano Ronaldo during Euro 2012. It is a simplistic statement. Yet its veracity cannot be questioned. Cristiano Ronaldo always scores. The importance of the game is an irrelevance. Since joining Real Madrid from Manchester United in 2009, he has struck 246 times in 240 matches. He always finds the back of the net. In every game. Often more than once. And this without the same stellar supporting cast that Lionel Messi has behind him at Camp Nou. Indeed, as Fabio Cannavaro said last year, Ronaldo fully deserved to win the Ballon d’Or because he “carries” Real Madrid. And it’s no surprise. He is, as legendary United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says, “the complete footballer”. There is nothing he cannot do. Particularly in Clasicos. Between January 2012 and October 2012, Ronaldo faced Barcelona on six occasions. He scored seven times. Nobody in history has ever registered in six consecutive Clasicos. Not Ferenc Puskas. Not Alfredo di Stefano. Not Hugo Sanchez. Not Lionel Messi. Last week’s near collapse at Signal Iduna Park perfectly illustrated just how reliant Real Madrid are on Ronaldo. Especially now. When the Portuguese was struggling with injury earlier this year, Jese Rodriguez was on hand to step in to Los Blancos’ attacking triumvirate. However, the youngster has now been ruled out for the season. Gareth Bale looks more effective in Ronaldo’s preferred position on the left wing but the Welshman has yet to prove himself in a Clasico. The same goes for Karim Benzema. Even in scoring twice against Barcelona last time out, the Frenchman still managed to show that in the big games he misses the big chances. Ronaldo does not. Is he arrogant? Yes, undeniably. It’s one of the reasons why he was booed at the Santiago Bernabeu recently. But they’ll miss him when he’s gone. They’ll miss him on Wednesday night. Why? Because he always scores.
Posted on: Mon, 14 Apr 2014 08:40:35 +0000
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