Portuguese winger supplies the killer pass against Bayern Munich and walks off to a standing ovation at the Bernabéu
Cristiano Ronaldo
was starting to look bored when it happened. The world's best player
had waited until the eighth minute for his first touch, he had waited
another four minutes for his second, and another six minutes had gone
by. Bayern Munich
were on top, the ball theirs and theirs alone: in a little over quarter
of an hour, the visitors had racked up a hundred passes more than their
hosts. Ronaldo watched from a distance, out on the left, waiting by
Rafinha. There was space there, he might have thought, if they can get
me the ball. But that was a big 'if'.
And then they did. A superbly blocked volley near Real Madrid's six-yard box, a swift pass out and as the ball reached Ronaldo for only the third time, the clock showed 17.57. Outside him, Fábio Coentrão began to sprint. Rather than beginning a run of his own, Ronaldo laid the ball into his path, beyond Rafinha, and Coentrão reached it ahead of Jérôme Boateng. His cross went through the legs of Dante and out of the reach of David Alaba, where Karim Benzema slotted home. Explosion.
The doubt had been whether or not Ronaldo would even play. He had missed the previous four games through injuries in his thigh and knee, but Carlo Ancelotti said that he had trained normally on Monday and Tuesday. The Italian said he would not take any risks and in the end Ronaldo was included in the starting XI. Gareth Bale, on the other hand, was not. The roar when Ronaldo's name was read out was longer and louder than those that greeted the rest of the Real Madrid side; they had missed him.
To start with, they continued to miss him. No more. This was a different contribution to those that supporters have become accustomed to, calm, almost stationary, a pass proceeded by a pause, but it was decisive nonetheless. As the roar rolled round the arena, he waited in the centre circle for his team-mates to return, hands coming together. There was a long conversation with Xabi Alonso and then he approached Benzema to embrace him.
If the goal was different, so was the celebration; it spoke of responsibility and perhaps reservation too. But Ronaldo was awakened and so were Madrid; for 20 minutes they had appeared to be effectively anaesthetised by Bayern. Soon he had a wonderful chance of his own. In fact, he should have scored after 26 minutes. Benzema's pass found him near the penalty spot and he opened up his body to sidefoot home only for his shot to fly over the bar, the ball sitting up before he hit it. Now, this felt like a different game, more akin to what Ancelotti had anticipated.
The absence of Bale meant repeating the formula used in winning the final of the Copa del Rey against Barcelona, with Ronaldo in for the Welshman, playing to the left of Karim Benzema up front. That meant something approaching a 4-4-2 and a willingness to break quickly. Pep Guardiola had warned that Madrid are a team that "runs, runs, runs" and "kills you with space". It was Bayern's duty to deny them that space. They were not able to. As for run, run, run, Ronaldo appeared to run a little less than normal, suggesting that he may not be fully fit. Ancelotti had said he would not play if there was any risk but with Bale sick he would have been entitled to reassess that risk.
When Ronaldo departed at half-time he appeared to be moving a little rigidly. No player had made fewer touches than him. Ancelotti noted that, after 20 days out, it was normal that the Portuguese was not yet at 100%. He had not been able to work on his speed. But his efforts had been, and would continue to be, used intelligently. Others bombed on beyond him, when they could; he had taken three shots, only behind Robben, and he had been at the heart of the goal that put Real on course to reach the final. He had missed the best chance in the opening 45 minutes and would have the first opportunity of the second half too, his shot pushed away by Manuel Neuer.
The goalkeeper would do the same in the 67th minute and again it was Ronaldo he stopped, after Coentrão had taken a swift free-kick. The Portuguese appeared reluctant to run forward with the ball, striking from 20 yards.
With 15 minutes to go, the board went up, just as Ancelotti had planned, knowing that an hour might be the limit. Ronaldo off, Bale on. "I felt perfect and in a few games I'll be fine," Ronaldo said afterwards.
He had been unable to get his 15th Champions League goal of the season, that record evading him for now. Nor could he reach 50 goals for Madrid in the competition or equal Ruud van Nistelrooy's record by scoring in nine consecutive Champions League games. No matter. This time his role was different but no less important and, as he departed, the Santiago Bernabéu gave him a standing ovation.
And then they did. A superbly blocked volley near Real Madrid's six-yard box, a swift pass out and as the ball reached Ronaldo for only the third time, the clock showed 17.57. Outside him, Fábio Coentrão began to sprint. Rather than beginning a run of his own, Ronaldo laid the ball into his path, beyond Rafinha, and Coentrão reached it ahead of Jérôme Boateng. His cross went through the legs of Dante and out of the reach of David Alaba, where Karim Benzema slotted home. Explosion.
The doubt had been whether or not Ronaldo would even play. He had missed the previous four games through injuries in his thigh and knee, but Carlo Ancelotti said that he had trained normally on Monday and Tuesday. The Italian said he would not take any risks and in the end Ronaldo was included in the starting XI. Gareth Bale, on the other hand, was not. The roar when Ronaldo's name was read out was longer and louder than those that greeted the rest of the Real Madrid side; they had missed him.
To start with, they continued to miss him. No more. This was a different contribution to those that supporters have become accustomed to, calm, almost stationary, a pass proceeded by a pause, but it was decisive nonetheless. As the roar rolled round the arena, he waited in the centre circle for his team-mates to return, hands coming together. There was a long conversation with Xabi Alonso and then he approached Benzema to embrace him.
If the goal was different, so was the celebration; it spoke of responsibility and perhaps reservation too. But Ronaldo was awakened and so were Madrid; for 20 minutes they had appeared to be effectively anaesthetised by Bayern. Soon he had a wonderful chance of his own. In fact, he should have scored after 26 minutes. Benzema's pass found him near the penalty spot and he opened up his body to sidefoot home only for his shot to fly over the bar, the ball sitting up before he hit it. Now, this felt like a different game, more akin to what Ancelotti had anticipated.
The absence of Bale meant repeating the formula used in winning the final of the Copa del Rey against Barcelona, with Ronaldo in for the Welshman, playing to the left of Karim Benzema up front. That meant something approaching a 4-4-2 and a willingness to break quickly. Pep Guardiola had warned that Madrid are a team that "runs, runs, runs" and "kills you with space". It was Bayern's duty to deny them that space. They were not able to. As for run, run, run, Ronaldo appeared to run a little less than normal, suggesting that he may not be fully fit. Ancelotti had said he would not play if there was any risk but with Bale sick he would have been entitled to reassess that risk.
When Ronaldo departed at half-time he appeared to be moving a little rigidly. No player had made fewer touches than him. Ancelotti noted that, after 20 days out, it was normal that the Portuguese was not yet at 100%. He had not been able to work on his speed. But his efforts had been, and would continue to be, used intelligently. Others bombed on beyond him, when they could; he had taken three shots, only behind Robben, and he had been at the heart of the goal that put Real on course to reach the final. He had missed the best chance in the opening 45 minutes and would have the first opportunity of the second half too, his shot pushed away by Manuel Neuer.
The goalkeeper would do the same in the 67th minute and again it was Ronaldo he stopped, after Coentrão had taken a swift free-kick. The Portuguese appeared reluctant to run forward with the ball, striking from 20 yards.
With 15 minutes to go, the board went up, just as Ancelotti had planned, knowing that an hour might be the limit. Ronaldo off, Bale on. "I felt perfect and in a few games I'll be fine," Ronaldo said afterwards.
He had been unable to get his 15th Champions League goal of the season, that record evading him for now. Nor could he reach 50 goals for Madrid in the competition or equal Ruud van Nistelrooy's record by scoring in nine consecutive Champions League games. No matter. This time his role was different but no less important and, as he departed, the Santiago Bernabéu gave him a standing ovation.
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