Ronaldo must live with being subbed
REAL Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said Cristiano Ronaldo must learn to accept being substituted after sulking off the field in the European champions’ 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,” said Zidane. At the forefront of Zidane’s mind was Real’s Champions League clash away to Borussia Dortmund tomorrow.
However, Ronaldo endured a poor night in front of goal as he fluffed a great chance from Alvaro Morata’s cut-back before half-time and fired straight at Javi Varas in the build-up to Madrid’s second goal.
“We have a game on Tuesday [tomorrow] and I thought it was the time to take him off 20 minutes from the end,” added Zidane. “I know he always wants to stay on the field, but I also have to think about the players and for me it was best to rest.”
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 at a solitary point having failed to bounce back from a 1-1 draw with Villarreal on Wednesday last week that snapped a 16game winning streak in La Liga. Of most concern for Madrid is their leaky defence as they have now kept just one clean sheet in their last six games.
“Sometimes there are games like this where you have the chances to win and you don’t take them,” added 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.” — AFP