Earlier, we graphed the performance of some of the top forwards from the group stages of the Champions League. Lionel Messi and Neymar led the pack with Kylian Mbappe and Nabil Fekir not far away.
A certain player was not included in the analysis because he was not exactly a “top forward” in the group stages. Cristiano Ronaldo scored just one goal and provided two assists in the four and a half games he featured in – rookie numbers for a player of his quality.
The Portugal icon was purchased by Juventus to helped guide the Italian giants to the coveted Champions League trophy after two heartbreaks in the last four years having been beaten by Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Juventus have never had any problems winning the Serie A and are all set to win their eighth title in a row. Ronaldo has been prolific domestically, netting 19 times. But the Bianconeri have shown that they can cruise to the title without his services. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner must inflate his numbers in the Champions League and do it fast.
We take a look at some of the big talking points regarding Ronaldo’s average show in Europe so far this season.
NO EXCUSES FOR LACK OF SUPPLY
Ronaldo’s suppliers have performed well in the Champions League. Chart showing key-passes per 90 minutes
One of the best goalscorers of this era, Ronaldo is no longer the attacker who will take defenders on, dribble past lines and then score a goal – not at the age of 34 anyway. He is, however, the player who latches on to the smallest of chances and changes a game in an instant, showing good conversion with either foot and his head.
But invariably – just like a classic number nine – he depends on his midfielders to create chances he can dispatch. While it would be logical to associate his poor form in the group stages – he scored only once – to under-performing midfielders, the statistics deny this.
The graphic above clearly shows that Ronaldo’s suppliers have performed better in Europe as compared to Italy and it’s evidenced by how they have registered more key-passes in the Champions League. Numbers from Juventus’s 3-0 win over Young Boys at home is removed for the comparison as it did not feature the Portuguese, who missed the game through suspension.
Federico Bernardeschi, Miralem Pjanic, Rodrigo Bentancur, Blaise Matuidi and Juan Cudrado have all stepped up in Champions League and Ronaldo has to step up his quality in the final third to make these chances count.
POOR SHOT QUALITY FROM UNFAVOURABLE SHOT ZONES
Ronaldo’s shot zones. Chart shows shots per 90 minutes
Of the 19 goals that Ronaldo has scored in the league, only one has come from out of the box. Five of those have arrived from the penalty spot and this accounts for a massive 26.3 percent of his total goals.
In the Serie A, the former Real Madrid star has a huge chunk of his shots coming from inside the box. At the rate of 4.18 shots per 90 minutes, Ronaldo has shot from inside the box 60 percent of the times. Whereas in Europe, there is a fair split of 2.75 shots every 90 minutes from both inside and outside the box.
The defenders in the Champions League have stopped the 34-year-old from entering favourable positions and hence stunted his numbers from growing.
Ronaldo’s shooting accuracy. Chart shows shots per 90 minutes
Consequentially, his shot accuracy has been poor in the Champions League as well. Ronaldo managed to direct 2.68 shots on target every 90 minutes in the league. In Europe, the numbers fall down to 1.5 shots on target for every 90 minutes. Also, at 2.25, the Portuguese has a high amount of inaccurate shots in Europe.
Ronaldo should fix up on these numbers and ensure that he returns to his former clinical self in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
NEVER WRITE HIM OFF
Despite what the eyes and numbers say, Ronaldo is still one of the best players in the world – the one player who’d mock at criticism through his performances.
In the last 16, he will be up against Atletico Madrid, a team which he has tormented in the league and in Europe during his time at Los Blancos.
The hunger to be the best has fueled him for years and he could make up for the lack of goals with a hat-trick in the last 16.
Is he saving it for the crunch games?
Recent seasons are evidence to the fact that he can under-perform for the first half of the season and then make up for it by delivering when it matters most – the knockout stages of the biggest club competition in Europe.
Will he wake up to steal the show again, or is the inevitable decline fast-approaching?
