A moment of magic from @Cristiano fires @realmadriden ahead ✨ #UCL #RomaReal https://t.co/w7ri2CyxnX
— BT Sport Football (@btsportfootball) February 17, 2016
For last night’s first-half in Rome, Real Madrid did not have a shot on goal and critics of Los Blancos, and Ronaldo specifically, were rubbing their hands together in prospect of the backlash.
Cristiano Ronaldo had come under fire during the pre-match Champions League press conference; peppered with questions about his inferior away form and goalscoring record compared to Madrid’s Catalonian rivals.
Keen to silence those critics, on the hour mark Cristiano Ronaldo reminded the world of his brilliance in away games with a vital away goal – running to celebrate with coach and footballing legend Zidane.
.@Cristiano ran straight in to the arms of Zidane after scoring. #LegendaryHug #UCL #RomaReal pic.twitter.com/yEoycPpMBX
— KICKTV (@KICKTV) February 17, 2016
Did you like that Zidane? pic.twitter.com/dq6smUJw5e
— M.A.J (@UltraSuristic) February 17, 2016
At first glance Ronaldo seemed to have perfectly answered all those who questioned his form – Marcelo played Ronaldo in down the line before a sharp chop inside and a beautifully dipping strike was unleashed into the top corner. Perfection!
But upon further inspection, Ronaldo’s goal took a massive deflection to take it past Arsenal loanee Wojciech Szczesny.
Despite the flukey nature of his goal, the Ronaldo fanatics were out in force to jump to Cristiano’s defence:
Deflected or not, that’s a great goal by Cristiano Ronaldo and he’s starting to appear in big games under Zidane. Good news for Real Madrid.
— Ben Hayward (@bghayward) February 17, 2016
It’s harder to argue with stats though…
44 – @Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 44 away goals in #UCL, at least nine more than any other player (Lionel Messi 35). Conqueror.
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) February 17, 2016
Other’s were considerably less impressed:
Just seen Ronaldo’s ‘amazing goal’? Am I imagining the massive deflection, or?
— Oli (@OJF97) February 17, 2016
We have given Ronaldo his credit, lets remember that it was a deflection now & stfu.
— Elakrat (@abdulelakrat) February 17, 2016
