Zidane hails ‘extraterrestrial’ Ronaldo
Stellar brace to vanquish Eibar extends scoring steak to 7 games
MADRID — Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said Cristiano Ronaldo was “from another galaxy” after the striker’s double was the difference in Saturday’s 2-1 La Liga victory at Eibar.
After putting Real in front with an emphatic near-post finish in the first half, Ronaldo headed in an 84th-minute winner at Ipurua Municipal Stadium,
Eibar’s Ivan Ramis had equalized in between to give the home side hope, but Real’s scoring machine would have none of it.
Ronaldo’s two goals extended his scoring streak to seven consecutive games, during which he has tallied a remarkable 13 times.
The 33-year-old now has 35 goals in 37 appearances for club and country this season.
“For me he’s from another galaxy,” Real coach Zidane said. “He knows that he will score. He is a different, special player. The statistics speak for themselves.”
Real moved to within four points of second-place Atletico Madrid, which can restore that gap to seven with a win over Celta Vigo on Sunday. Eibar remains eighth. After securing a 5-2 aggregate victory over Paris SaintGermain in the Champions League last 16 last week, Real swapped the Parc des Princes for the smallest ground in La Liga, with a capacity of just over 7,000.
The team was below its best and rode its luck late on when Eibar should have converted a pair of excellent chances, before Ronaldo made them pay.
Gareth Bale started up front alongside the Portuguese, while Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, fit enough only to come off the bench in midweek, returned.
Modric shines
Croatian Modric was excellent throughout, providing a sublime pass with the outside of his foot for Ronaldo’s opener.
“It’s true that after 15, almost 20 days, Luka came in and played a great game,” Zidane said.
“He is an important player for us and what he has done, he has done very well all season.”
Raphael Varane had to be replaced by Nacho early on after taking a bang to the head but, against the run of play, Real edged ahead in the 33rd minute.
A sloppy pass from the back by Anaitz Arbilla conceded possession to Modric, who quickly picked out Ronaldo. He chested the ball down and slammed it in at the near post.
Five minutes into the second half, Sergio Ramos lost his man at a corner and Ramis got Eibar even when he nodded in from six yards.
Ronaldo should have restored the advantage but failed to convert an excellent Bale cross. From the resulting corner, Bale flashed a glancing header just wide of the post.
Isco and Kroos made way for Karim Benzema and Lucas Vazquez with 19 minutes left, but Eibar had two golden chances to score a second.
First, an unmarked Takashi Inui headed over from seven yards, then Kike Garcia hit the side netting with only Keylor Navas to beat.
In the 84th minute, Pedro Leon gave away possession too easily, allowing Modric to feed Dani Carvajal out wide. His whipped cross found the leaping Ronaldo, who made no mistake.
Later on Saturday, Valencia moved back to within a point of Real and all but ended Sevilla hopes of finishing in the top four by beating Los Rojiblancos 2-0.
Sevilla trailed Valencia by eight points before kickoff but that was stretched to 11 after two goals from Rodrigo Moreno sealed a victory.