Ronaldo subbed as Real draw at Las Palmas
A SUBSTITUTED Cr ist ia no Rona ldo cut a disconsolate figure as Real Madrid conceded a late equaliser to draw 2-2 at Las Palmas on Saturday.
Earlier, Barcelona shrugged off the absence of the injured Lionel Messi to move to within a point of Madrid at the top of the table as Luis Suarez and Neymar were on target in a 5-0 thrashing of Sporting Gijon.
Ron a ldo w a s r e pl a c e d moments after helping Madrid go 2-1 in front when Karim Benzema slotted home t he rebound after the Portuguese’s initial effort was saved.
However, he watched on as Sergio Araujo took advantage of some soft Madrid defending to level as the European cham- pions dropped points for the second time in four days.
Mad r id b o s s Z i ne d i ne Zidane insisted that, despite a sub-par display, Ronaldo had been replaced to keep him fresh for Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Borussia Dortmund.
“We have another game on Tuesday and he has to rest too now and again,” Zidane told Spanish TV station Movistar.
“It is obv ious he a lways wants to stay on t he f ield, but I have to think about my pl a y e r s a nd pa r t i c u l a r l y Cristiano.
“I have to take him off sometimes and tonight we did it.”
St ung by a poor f irst-ha lf per formance in a 1-1 draw wit h Vi l la r rea l in midweek t hat snapped a 16-ga me La Liga winning streak, Madrid pressed high from the off and had 17 shots in a wide open first 45 minutes.
Real made the breakthrough just after the half-hour mark when Javi Varas made a fine save from Nacho’s low effort, but Marco Asensio followed up to head into an empty net.
The lead lasted just five minutes, though, as Raphael Varane’s poor defensive header fel l at t he feet of Tana, who slotted past the helpless Kiko Casilla.
Varas denied Ronaldo midway through the second half, but substitute Benzema was on ha nd to turn home t he loose ball.
Ronaldo was then replaced by Lucas Vazquez, but didn’t ack nowledge Zida ne as he sulked off the field.
The three-time World Player of the Year has now completed t he 90 minutes just once in Madrid’s six La Liga games so far this season.
And Ronaldo’s mood worsened when Araujo bundled his way past Casilla and Sergio Ramos to slot home the equaliser five minutes from time.
Earlier, Barca overca me a difficult opening half hour to hit five past Sporting.
Ye t , Ba r c a c o a c h L u i s Enrique was far from satisfied wit h his side’s display, particularly early in t he second half.
“It is a result that doesn’t tell the true story of the game – 5-0 makes it seem easy and simple and that couldn’t be further from the truth,” he said.
“We were poor at the start of the second half, we didn’t kill t he ga me of f a nd Spor t ing could have got back into the game.”