Fresh from vanquishing Atletico Madrid with his 39th Real Madrid hat-trick, Cristiano Ronaldo will be guaranteed a hero’s welcome when he returns to where his career began at Sporting in Lisbon on Tuesday.
Ronaldo has another landmark in his sights as he is just two goals short of 100 in European competitions and history suggests he will not go easy on the side that handed him his breakthrough.
The three-time World Player of the Year has scored on all five occasions he has faced his former clubs in the Uefa Champions League. He also netted twice against Sporting for Manchester United in 2007 and Real produced a stunning late fightback from 1-0 down with 89 minutes played to win 2-1 when the sides met back in September.
Despite that, Ronaldo is still loved by the Sporting faithful and leading Portugal to their first international tournament win at Euro 2016 has only embellished his hero status in his homeland.
“Divided heart,” ran the headline in Lisbon sports daily Record yesterday with a split picture of Ronaldo wearing a Sporting and Madrid jersey.
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While a point will be enough for Real to seal their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League for a record 20th consecutive season, anything other than victory will end Sporting’s chances of making the last 16.
A first league victory over Atletico in four seasons on Saturday also allowed Real to open up a four-point lead at the top of the Primera Liga and extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to 29 games.
“We know that we are facing the strongest team in the world right now, that is why they won the Champions League [last season],” Sporting manager Jorge Jesus told Spanish sports daily Marca.
“But Sporting have desire, confidence and we will play like in Madrid with a lot of quality and confidence.”
Had Sporting held on at the Bernabeu Group F would have a very different look, but Jesus says his young side will have learnt from the experience when a Ronaldo free-kick and Alvaro Morata’s stoppage-time header snatched victory for Madrid from the jaws of defeat.
“We lacked that little bit of experience you have to have in the last 10 minutes in the Champions League, like all the Real Madrid players have. We ought to have gotten a better result,” Jesus said.
“When you are winning 1-0 in the 83rd minute, you can fail to win but you can’t lose.
“Ronaldo’s free-kick is an example. He is an intelligent guy, with experience and he took this free-kick which was decisive. When we say he is the best in the world, it is because he has everything.”
The only debate over Ronaldo’s return is whether he starts in a centre-forward role as he did against Atletico or whether Zinedine Zidane recalls the fit-again Karim Benzema.
Borussia Dortmund have mixed news on the injury front as they seek to secure top spot in Group F having booked their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League. A win over Legia Warsaw tonight would be enough for Thomas Tuchel’s men to head into the last 16 as group winners, as long as Real fail to beat Sporting.
However, they will have to get that win without No 1 goalkeeper Roman Burki, who has been ruled out for eight weeks after breaking his hand in the 1-0 win over Bayern Munich at the weekend. His place will be taken by Roman Weidenfeller, Dortmund’s designated domestic cup goalkeeper.
On the positive side, Tuchel could welcome Marco Reus back since May. Reus was due to make his comeback from injury at the weekend, but a heel problem forced him out. “If everything goes great, then I hope to be involved on Tuesday,” Reus said on Dortmund’s website.
An under-strength Bayern Munich will be without goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Arturo Vidal, Javi Martinez and Arjen Robben for the trip to Rostov tomorrow.
* Agencies
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