So here we are, two weeks into the La Liga season and a situation hitherto unknown has occurred.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have failed to score in both of their opening two matches, something which has never happened from the beginning of a campaign in the Spanish top flight in which both have played.
Indeed, we have to go all the way back to October 2013 just to find the last weekend when both failed to hit the net. Ponder that for a second — every match weekend for almost two years, one or other has scored!
If we delve a little deeper, it’s worth noting that Messi has at least been more involved in play as Barcelona continue to dance to his tune. His 114 touches this past weekend was exactly double that of Ronaldo. Seven shots, eight successful dribbles and two tackles won speak of an exponent fully immersed in the game.
Ronaldo, on the other hand, would appear to have not yet got to grips with Rafa Benitez’s new order.
In both league matches played so far, the Portuguese has been on the periphery, continuing a theme from the latter stages of last season. A few direct, and unsuccessful, free-kicks aside, there has been little in Ronaldo’s game of note.
With Karim Benzema now very definitely the focal point of the Madrid attack in a 4-2-3-1 formation, Ronaldo’s game will need to evolve in order to fit in with Benitez’s ideas — and woe betide the player if he wants to go toe-to-toe with the manager over positional aspects.
The ex-Liverpool man is very much a “team before I” individual and won’t countenance a squad imbalance to satisfy its best player.
It was noticeable, particularly in the match against Real Betis, how desperate Ronaldo is to continue his run as the Spanish top flight’s “Pichichi”, the award given to the player with most league goals. With teammates often better placed, a shot to goal was a waste of possession and clearly a little self-indulgent. And when a shift was needed to be put in, Ronaldo was nowhere to be seen.
Neither aspect will have impressed the manager.
Perhaps Ronaldo could also take a leaf out of Jackson Martinez’s book. The ex-Porto hit man showed just what £35 million (Dh197.90 million) buys you with a wonderful strike for Atletico Madrid just six minutes after coming on as a substitute against Sevilla.
Martinez was lively, sharp and interested, working hard during his cameo. As he had done on debut against Las Palmas in week one.
Diego Simeone will have been delighted that, in only 11 minutes on the pitch, the striker scored once, completed one key pass, had two other shots on goal and won one header. A work ethic that is completely typical of Atletico under the Argentine’s stewardship.
Rewards will always come from that type of hard work. Ronaldo must therefore rid himself of the desperation for adulation and a “shrug of the shoulders” attitude when others grab the glory.
In what is likely to be his last season in Madrid, it’s time for one of Los Blancos’ finest sons to go out on a high.
— The writer is a freelance journalist and Spanish football expert
