Ronaldo subbed
Portuguese star endures a poor night as Real held to 2-2 draw
Portuguese star endures a poor night, and sulks off field, as Real Madrid held to a 2-2 draw at Las Palmas.
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane insisted Cristiano Ronaldo has to learn to live with being substituted after the Portual star sulked off the field visibly frustrated in the European champion’s 2-2 draw at Las Palmas.
Zidane replaced the threetime World Player of the Year with Madrid leading 2-1 18 minutes from time, but an unhappy Ronaldo watched from the bench as Sergio Araujo equalised to ensure Real dropped points for the second time in four days.
“I have to take him off sometimes and tonight we did it,” said Zidane.
“That isn’t going to change what we are going to continue to do.”
At the forefront of Zidane’s mind was Real’s huge ChampionsLeagueclashawaytoBorussia Dortmund on Tuesday.
However, Ronaldo endured a poor night in front of goal as he fluffed a great chance from Alvaro Morata’s cut-back before halftime and fired straight at Javi Varas in the buildup to Madrid’s second goal.
“We have a game on Tuesday and I thought it was the time to take him off, 20 minutes from the end, thinking about Tuesday,” added Zidane.
“I know he always wants to play and always wants to stay on the field, but I also have to thinkabouttheplayersandfor me it was best to rest and think about Tuesday.”
Ronaldo has completed 90 minutes just twice this season, though, as he was also replaced early on his return from a knee ligament injury against Osasuna earlier this month and missed last weekend’s win at Espanyol due to illness.
Real’s lead over Barcelona at the top of the table now stands atasolitarypointafteritsfailure to bounce back from a 1-1 draw with Villarreal on Wednesday that snapped a 16-game winning streak in La Liga.
Of most concern for Madrid is its leaky defence as it has now kept just one clean sheet in its last six games.
“Sometimes there are games like this where you have the chances to win and you don’t take them,” continued Zidane.
“I think there is a lack of concentration in the second goal. I have to analyse it, but I am not going to complain. Playing like this for 90 minutes we will be at the top of the league I have no doubt.”
Gareth Bale had been the star member of Madrid’s front line most often sacrificed by Zidane in recent weeks as the Welshman was replaced in each of his last three outings.
However, Bale looked back close to the form which saw him shine towards the end of last season and at Euro 2016 and he believes Ronaldo will also need time to get back to 100 percent fitness following his two-month injury layoff after the Euros.
“He’s been working hard on his injuries since he came back,” said Bale.
“He hasn’t had a preseason like me and it takes a little bit of time.”
Bale is yet to score since the opening day of the La Liga season, but insists the goals will arrive if Real continues to create the number of chances it did in the Canary Islands.
“We’re not happy to lose four points, but if you look at the league overall we are in a good position,” he added.
“You have to look at the positives. Of course we are disappointed, but we are still unbeaten. We are still creating chances and if we keep doing that we’ll score plenty of goals.”