Cristiano Ronaldo, Here Is A Chance To Prove Your Critics Wrong

Who would have imagined that after scoring 21 goals in La Liga this season and thus being the top scorer, a player would be booed by his own set of fans? Sounds insane, doesn’t it?

Not to those Bernebeu faithful who expect their star player to rise up against the mighty Barcelona of Pep Guardiola.

As Paul Breitner, the former Real Madrid left-back, stated last month that for the fans in Madrid and Barcelona all that matters is to be one up against their opponent.

“If Real Madrid are fourth and if Barcelona finish third, then the Barcelona fans are happy and vice versa. It’s all about being better than your rival and not about winning the league,” he explained.

Keeping the above in mind, one can put into perspective as to why a certain Cristiano Ronaldo is subject to such ‘don’t feel like home’ treatment.

The last month has been tough on the Portuguese. Everything seemed to be going well for the ‘in-form’CR7 until the last clasico at the Bernebeu where he was guilty of wasting at least two good opportunities to score which could have turned the game in favour of his team. Jose Mourinho’s comments in the aftermath of the game explained best.

“We could have scored a second goal when we were 1-0 up, and in normal circumstances we would have because Cristiano is fantastic and nets his shots. The game would have been different then.”

CR7 In Top Form

The following week CR7 responded with a hat-trick away at Seville to help his side win 6-2 and he blasted his critics claiming that they had no understanding of the game. Around the same time, Barcelona won the Club World Cup with Lionel Messi being the hero for his club. He was also adorned with the Player of the tournament.

Thereafter in the Copa Del Rey clash against Malaga in the New Year, Madrid were nowhere close to their standards and once again CR7 had to bear the brunt from the home support.

He scored the fifth goal for his side in the 5-1 victory over Granada and chose just to walk back to the half-way line instead of the now famous claw. While Sergio Ramos and the ‘Special One’ jumped to the defence of their marquee player, but certainly something was amiss given that the former Manchester United player celebrates almost every goal or penalty he scores.

Then came the FIFA Ballon d’Or award and once again the honours went to Barcelona with Lionel Messi winning it for the third straight time.

Ronaldo had a poor outing against Malaga in the second leg of the Kings Cup and this was followed with a decent display last week away to Mallorca, which according to Mourinho, was his best performance.

But what is it that gets to him when he faces Barcelona? Is it the competition with Messi or that he is being scrutinized way too much? Although his ‘forever trusting who I am, nothing else matters’ attitude suggests something else, it’s difficult to answer that. But his record speaks for itself – he has scored one goal every 301 minutes against Puyol and co.

One must also point that Mourinho needs to assert positive tactics against Barcelona, something which came close to bringing them success in the Champions League second leg at the Camp Nou. It’s a crime to employ negative strategy when you have players of the caliber of Ronaldo, Alonso, Ozil, Kaka and so on. This isn’t to suggest that the counterattacking ploy doesn’t work but just that Madrid have to be far more clinical in whatever few chances they do manage to get.

Mourinho's Tactics Should Aid Ronaldo

Also Ronaldo must get back to doing what he is best at – run at defenders with incredible pace and dribble with both feet. And it’s vital that he doesn’t track to support the defence, probably the other winger could, as his presence in the opposition half alongside one of his team-mates would spell danger for Barcelona especially with the two full-backs being up in attack.

It’s up to the likes of Ozil and Alonso to provide the delivery like a Xavi or Fabregas for Ronaldo to feed on. Unfortunately in the past that hasn’t been the case as the Madrid midfield is in their own half trying to win back the possession and when they do, it’s immediately given away or allow Barcelona to structure themselves at the back.

The counterattack with their lightning quick forwards has to be initiated within seconds of winning the ball and the wingers and strikers must run at their defence, something which Real Betis did over the weekend. Given the fact that they play a high line of defence, any ball at the back of their defence would see them in sixes and sevens as was the case when they faced Valencia earlier in the season.

The Copa Del Rey presents an ideal opportunity for Ronaldo to shut his critics up as if he leads his side to triumph over the Catalan giants, who also have the tag of being the best side in the world, he would be absolved of his past average outings against the same opponents.

Majority are of the opinion that Messi is the best player in the world, except a few like Pele who believe it’s Neymar, Ronaldo needs to stake his claim once again and the best way to do so is to be the messiah for los blancos in their quest to be the best side in the world.

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