Real waits for misfiring Ronaldo, Barca takes on Granada

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored just one of Real Madrid's last 20 goals despite the team winning its last four games while Barcelona will look to continue putting pressure on its arch-rival when it hosts Granada.

Published : Oct 29, 2016 00:21 IST , Madrid

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during a La Liga game against Athletic Bilbao.
Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during a La Liga game against Athletic Bilbao.
lightbox-info

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during a La Liga game against Athletic Bilbao.

Real Madrid is hoping Cristiano Ronaldo can end a lean period in front of goal as it attempts to keep its nose in front of a tight five-way race atop La Liga at Alaves on Saturday.

Madrid bounced back from a four-game draw streak in style by scoring 20 goals in winning its last four outings to move back top of the table and take big strides towards progress in the Champions League and Copa del Rey. However, Ronaldo has scored just one of those 20 and his return of four goals from nine appearances is by a distance his worst strike rate at this stage of the campaign since joining Madrid seven years ago.

Ronaldo was even whistled by Real's demanding fanbase at the Santiago Bernabeu during last weekend's 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao.

"I would prefer him to score two or three goals in every match, but I am not worried because I know it will pass," said Real boss Zinedine Zidane.

Alvaro Morata came off the bench to grab a late winner against Athletic and also struck twice in a 7-1 mauling of Cultural Leonesa in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday to move ahead of Ronaldo with six goals this season. Yet, despite still being frozen out of Zidane's preferred starting line-up by Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema, Morata insists the Portuguese should be cut some slack.

"When one is used to scoring nearly 70 goals a season they are like goal addicts," said Morata. "For us he is still the most important player in the team and we hope he scores lots of goals, but he is not a machine. He is human, although it seems like he comes from a different planet, and he has the right to miss."

Zidane is expected to resort to the side that started against Bilbao as Ronaldo, Bale, Benzema, Marcelo, Mateo Kovacic and Raphael Varane were all rested in midweek.

Alaves has only won twice in its first nine games on its return to the top flight for the first time in a decade. Yet former Valencia and Liverpool defender Mauricio Pellegrino's men have already proved they are more than capable of causing an upset as they shocked Barcelona at the Camp Nou last month and drew away to Atletico Madrid on the opening day of the season.

Sevilla is Real's surprise closest challenger and can go top for at least a couple of hours with victory at Sporting Gijon earlier on Saturday.

"We won't be jumping for joy right now. The team are performing well, but aspiring to win La Liga is a big ask," said Sevilla winger Vitolo. "Everyone knows there are three teams that have that aspiration and there is still a long way to go."

Barcelona and Villarreal sit just two points back from Madrid with Atletico Madrid a point further adrift in fifth. Barca has the easiest task of the title contenders on paper this weekend when winless Granada visits the Camp Nou. The champion has just 16 fit first team players with Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, Jeremy Mathieu and Arda Turan all sidelined through injury.

However, by contrast to Ronaldo's struggles, Lionel Messi is in fine goalscoring form as he and Luis Suarez lead La Liga's scoring charts on seven despite the Argentine missing a month of action due to a groin injury.

Atletico will be favoured to bounce back from its first defeat of the season at Sevilla last weekend when Malaga visits the Vicente Calderon. Meanwhile, Villarreal will put its unbeaten record on the line at Eibar on Sunday.

Fixtures: Sporting Gijon v Sevilla, Alaves v Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid v Malaga, Barcelona v Granada, Eibar v Villarreal, Athletic Bilbao v Osasuna, Real Betis v Espanyol, Las Palmas v Celta Vigo, Deportivo la Coruna v Valencia.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment