These two figures have over the years brought such success to Real that it could be unnecessary to recount here what they both did for the club.

What I simply have to say his that their exit at the same time surely should have felt like death in the Real Madrid family.

Putting on black when something very dim happens is part of the African culture and I dare say that maybe literally Real's fans should have done that for some time when an influential football god like Ronaldo left.

The problems they're experiencing now would surely have been eased had Ronaldo been around and firing. He could do almost all things. And as Real Madrid fans probably know, he could hide the big flaws in a side.

                                                                                     ***

I must confess that even in my most optimistic moments I never thought Arsenal's new coach Unai Emery could have started so impressively at Arsenal. On Monday night the Gunners came from a goal down to send Leicester City to the cleaners in a most brutally entertaining fashion with a sublime goal by inspirational captain of the night Mezut Ozil and a quick fire double by substitute Pierre Emerick Aubameyang to put Leicester to the sword.

It's 10 wins in a row now for Arsenal and the first time they've been able to manage this feat since 2007.

Slowly but surely belief is building up in Arsenal and these kinds of wins are the sort that propelled an unfancied Chelsea side of 2016-17 under them new manager Antonio Conte to go all the way to winning the premier league that season.

I'm not saying here and now that Arsenal will win the premier league. As some have rightly noted Arsenal have so far won against teams that pedigree-wise they should be beating. Playing the bigger boys (like Liverpool in a couple of weeks time) will offer a better clue as to where the Gunners are.

But winning games they should be winning is a big factor in whether a club of the status of Arsenal can go all the way.

Emery has kept faith with the philosophy of his predecessor the great Arsene Wenger. Playing nice passing attacking gootball. 

In terms of team shape, build up play and defensive structure not much has changed. 

Some new coaches would have come in and attemted to make a more radical departure from their predecessor and in the end complicating things for their players and themselves.

Where Arsenal seem to have got stronger than in the late Wenger years is in the tenacity of the midfield anchored by the so far very inspirational Lucas Torreira.

The young lad has been unbelievable in midfield for Arsenal and a big complement is to compare him with Chelsea and France's Ngolo Kante. 

Torreira is everywhere and anywhere the opponents don't want him to be, winning multiple tackles for Arsenal, bailing the team out after one faulty pass or the other and one wonders of Arsenal could cope without him now in the side.

I feel Arsenal though are short defensively. They seem to me to be one more top quality central defender and a left back away from being sure challengers for the premier league title.

Club captain Laurent Koscielny has been a big leader over the years and he's expected to return soon from a long term injury ,while highly experienced Sokratis is nearing a comeback from a short term injury problem. However the duo are well above 30 and they seem to have slowed down with age. So too has left back Nacho Monreal.