1. Ronaldo deserves more respect
DEPENDING ON WHO you believe, Ronaldo has scored either 399 or 400 goals for Real Madrid. The club and the player insist it is the latter, though official records say the former.
The dispute relates to a deflected striker in 2010 against Real Sociedad, which the referee’s report at the time awarded to defender Pepe, though that didn’t stop the Portuguese superstar describing a “very special” achievement.
Either way, Ronaldo’s goal tally is astounding, while his hat-trick against Atletico on Tuesday suggests the 32-year-old still has plenty of time left at the top level.
He has adapted his game, of course, but there were even shades of the old Ronaldo last night, as he showed great acceleration to beat an opponent on more than one occasion.
So given that his feats are virtually unparalleled in the history of football, it’s remarkable to think Ronaldo still had to tell Real fans to stop whistling him after Tuesday’s thrilling game.
The star can be immensely egotistical and hard to like at times, so on the one hand, it is understandable if not acceptable that he causes this reaction among certain supporters.
But surely the Spanish side’s fans must judge the footballer rather than focusing on his invariably arrogant on-field persona, which unsavoury as it is, also contributes to the star’s endless quest for perfectionism. Without the irrepressible egotism, the stunning individual feats and ruthless finishes are practically inconceivable.
Gareth Bale is among other players to have been given similarly harsh treatment by Real’s notoriously hard-to-please fanbase.
And there is consequently an increasing sense of entitlement that exists among a section of those who regularly attend the Bernabeu, and this culture of negativity can hardly be beneficial to the club in the long run.
2. Juventus’ remarkable defensive stat – two goals conceded in this season’s Champions League
Youth took on experience in the Champions League tonight, and there is no question which side came out on top.
Juventus, with seven players over 30 in their side, were too strong for Monaco’s much-vaunted youngsters.
So thrilling to watch going forward for much of this Champions League campaign, Leonardo Jardim’s team were suddenly made too look laboured and inadequate with the ball against Juventus’ talismanic back line.
In Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli, the Italian side have three of the best defenders in Europe in their squad, not to mention their iconic, ageless goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.
Tonight, all their experience and wiliness showed, as a side as talented and vibrant as Monaco struggled to create clear-cut chances and the sold-out Stade Louis II gradually fell flat.
Moreover, this evening was far from an anomaly — this Juventus team has been winning trophies for years with their consistently resolute backline, and the fact that with a maximum of two games to play, they have only conceded two goals all season in the Champions League says it all. Monaco, by contrast, have surrendered 18 in Europe since the start of the campaign, and tellingly were far less defensively assured than their opponents earlier.
3. Atletico must be sick of the sight of Real
It’s hard not to feel sympathy for Atletico Madrid. With a meagre budget in comparison with the top two in Spain, Diego Simeone has managed to work minor miracles to keep them frequently competing against La Liga’s more esteemed sides.
While they have won La Liga against the odds during Simeone’s reign, the Champions League trophy continues to elude them despite laudable efforts in the competition in recent years.
Before Simeone took charge, they had featured in the European Cup/Champions League eight times in their history, reaching the semi-finals just twice and never getting further than the quarter-finals since the Champions League was established.
By contrast, under the Argentine coach, who took charge in 2011, they have reached the Champions League final twice, the semi-final once (this year) and the quarter-final once.
On three occasions under Simeone, they have been knocked out by Real Madrid, and that trend is set to continue barring their biggest miracle yet in next week’s second leg.
Yet what was more painful about last night was the manner of the loss. Previously, they were only beaten by their bitter rivals by the slightest of margins.
However, at the Bernabeu on Tuesday, for once they lacked their usual intensity and were outclassed by a much better team on the night. That issue, more than anything else, will devastate their notoriously obsessive and impassioned coach, who may now feel he cannot take the team any further, following another emotional roller-coaster that looks set to end in bitter disappointment as usual.
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