Madrid comes first, Zidane warns selfish Ronaldo

By Daily Sports on September 25, 2016

No player is bigger than a club like Real Madrid - and that includes Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese forward was surprisingly substituted by Coach Zinedine Zidane at Las Palmas and muttered to himself in annoyance as he trudged off the pitch. But he needs to understand that the team comes first.

Ronaldo had helped to set up Madrid's second goal and what looked like the winner for Karim Benzema against the Canary Islanders, but was brought off moments later and he seemed anything but amused as he walked past his coach.

Zidane, who had earlier sent on Benzema in an inspired change which resulted in the vital breakthrough, was then perhaps left to rue taking off Ronaldo when Sergio Araujo came up with a late leveller as the fixture finished 2-2.

However, his decision was understandable. Ronaldo remains a long way from full fitness and with a Champions League clash away to Dortmund coming up on Tuesday the Frenchman was keen to give his famous forward a rest.

Cristiano had once again appeared off the pace for much of the match - just as he had in the 1-1 draw at home to Villarreal on Wednesday night at the Santiago Bernabeu. Back from the injury that saw him, sidelined in the final of Euro 2016 and out for the season's start, he is still some way short of his peak physical condition.

"We have a game on Tuesday and we have to give him a rest sometimes," Zidane said after the match. "He was playing well, I have to choose, and I was thinking about Tuesday."

Asked about the 31-year-old's reaction, he added: "Of course he always wants to stay on the pitch, but I have to think of my players and particularly about Cristiano. We have a game on Tuesday and he has to rest sometimes. This doesn't change anything."

It should not. Ronaldo, like Lionel Messi, is keen to play every minute of every game - but he has to realise that on occasions a rest is necessary. And given that he has just returned from a long-term injury, it would also be unwise to overdo it at this stage.

Ultra-competitive until the end, the Portuguese will have wanted to stay on for the full 90 minutes. And, in hindsight, he may have been useful in the dying minutes as Madrid were pegged back and ended up with just a point for the second time in four days as their lead in La Liga was cut to a single point.

When his anger dies down, though, he will do well to understand that his coach is only trying to protect him and preserve the best interests of Real Madrid. And that is more important than one man playing every minute of every game. (goal.com)

•Photo shows Cristiano Ronaldo

Source Daily Sports

Posted September 25, 2016


 

You may also like...
Send Dalung, Yakmut to prison over embezzlement, Gara...

Eguavoen, Amuneke hit England over Eagles’ bonus crisis...

Messi and Lewandowski’s World Cup dreams in the...

Night of glamour, fun as Nigerian Awards for...

I have lost respect for Finidi, says Osimhen...

Why We Lost To Tottenham — Man City...

 

Latest News CAF awards: Ajibade, Nnadozie, Edo Queens bag nominations Lagos SWAN, PAACC Hold SWAN Day At Golfview Hotels, Ikeja Crisis looms as Eagles’ form raises AFCON, W’Cup concerns Ex-Nigerian Super Falcons player handcuffed, children assaulted as police storm Anambra Football Academy Sports NFF, teammates console Nwabali on father’s death Abia Govt hails Nigeria Olympic Committee over staging an admin course in Umuahia Libya deliver Eagles 2025 AFCON ticket Eagles battle Cheetahs for 2025 AFCON ticket Yellow Greens gear up for T20 W’Cup qualifiers Tyson tips Fury to beat Joshua Sadiq absent as 22 Eagles train in Abidjan Eagles’ striking trio hot for Cheetahs, Amavubi clashes

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,164 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,307 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,370 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,015 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,948 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,904 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,742 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,311 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,366 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,054 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,506 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,931 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media