Cristiano Ronaldo rarely misses the chance to celebrate a goal, particularly one against Barcelona, but he didn’t have the opportunity to after bundling home a finish from close range at the Camp Nou on Sunday. Crumpled in the net, the Portuguese forward clutched his ankle with concern.
He managed to complete the first half, but with a noticeable limp. Zinedine Zidane made the decision to withdraw the Ballon d’Or holder at the half time interval, raising concerns over Ronaldo’s fitness ahead of the Champions League final against Liverpool later this month.
Ronaldo isn’t the only player Real Madrid are sweating on the final of ahead of the showpiece game in Kiev, with Isco and Dani Carvajal also struggling through injury. But Zidane insists that all three will be fit and available for the match. They are all going to arrive at the Champions League final,” he said. “The worst is Cristiano, because it’s just happened, but he’s fine.”
But what if Ronaldo isn’t fine? What if Real Madrid have to play their most important game of the season without their best player, without their difference-maker, their match winner? It’s a scenario that Zidane might still have to confront. Ronaldo has a track record of breaking down at this stage of the season, after all.
The signs aren’t so positive for Real Madrid should they take to the field against Liverpool without their number seven. They have struggled on the occasions that they have been without Ronaldo this season. Look at the second half of Sunday’s Clasico against Barcelona – while Real Madrid might have claimed a 2-2 draw, they were distinctly second best despite having a man advantage.
They lacked a focal point in attack, with Karim Benzema particularly aimless in his play without Ronaldo alongside him. Gareth Bale stepped up somewhat to fill the void, netting an excellent equaliser, and the Welshman tends to play best when Ronaldo is absent. But Real Madrid are nowhere near as sure of themselves with Bale leading the line rather than Ronaldo. They lack fluency with him up front.
This is why Real Madrid will be doing everything they can to protect Ronaldo ahead of the Champions League final. He is the competition’s top goalscorer and so often defines the big occasion. They are a different team, a different proposition without him. They would have to change their game plan in his absence.
Real Madrid will be without Ronaldo for Wednesday night’s La Liga fixture against Sevilla as the double European champions wrap their star player in cotton wool. Nobody is quite sure whether Zidane is being truthful over the Portuguese’s fitness or whether he is playing down concern to avoid a media circus ahead of the clash with Liverpool. Whichever it is, there can be no doubt over Ronaldo’s significance to Real Madrid’s Champions League challenge. They need him in Kiev.
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