Cristiano Ronaldo, Steve Smith and the best of the Dakar Rally: sports images of the week

We pick out the week's most spectacular images from the last seven days

Argentina's Franco Caimi, of the Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team, during Stage 2 of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia on Monday, January 4. EPA

Evgeniy Klimov of Russia during his trial jump at the third stage of the 69th Four Hills Tournament in Innsbruck, Austria, on Saturday, January 2. AP

West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone cannot stop Arsenal's Kieran Tierney opening the scoring during his team's 4-0 Premier League defeat at a snowy Hawthorns on Saturday, January 3. Reuters

Alabama running-back Najee Harris hurdles Notre Dame's Nick McCloud in the first half of the Rose Bowl NCAA college football game in Arlington, Texas, on Friday, January 1. AP

Toyota driver Nasser Al-Attiyah and his co-driver Mathieu Baumel compete during the prologue near the Saudi city of Jeddah, on the eve of the 2021 Dakar Rally, on January 2. AFP

Barcelona's Lionel Messi surrounded by four Athletic Bilbao players during his team's 3-2 La Liga win at the San Mamss Stadium on Wednesday, January 6. Reuters

Gregor Schlierenzauer of Austria soars through the air during his trial jump at the third stage of the 69th Four Hills Tournament in Innsbruck, Austria, on Saturday, January 2. AP

Runners and riders during the David Flynn Construction Maiden Hurdle at Tramore Racecourse, in Ireland, on Friday, January 1. PA

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba during his team's League Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester City at Old Trafford on Wednesday, January 6. AFP

India's wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant prepares to catch the ball as Australia batsman Steve looks away during Day 1 of the third Test at Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday, January 7. Smith finished the day unbeaten on 31. AFP

Judges watch from their tower during trial jumps at the Four Hills Tournament in Innsbruck, Austria, on Sunday, January 3. AP

Juventus attacker Cristiano Ronaldo scores during their Serie A victory over Udinese at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, on Sunday January 3. AP

A biker during Stage 2 of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, January 4. AFP

Two swimmers swim in a pool cut in a frozen lake in Shenyang, in China's northeastern Liaoning province on Thursday, January 7. AFP

Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands plays a shot during her three-set defeat to China's Xiyu Wang at the Abu Dhabi WTA Women's Tennis Open at Zayed Sports City on Thursday, January 7. Getty

Manchester City's John Stones, right, celebrates scoring his team's first goal in their League Cup semi-final win at Manchester United on Thursday. January 7. Reuters

A competitor in the motorcycle race during Stage 4 of the Dakar Rally - from Wadi Ad-Dawasir to Riyadh - on Wednesday, January 6. Reuters

Nicolas Batum of the LA Clippers is fouled by Golden State Warriors' Kelly Oubre Jr. during the NBA game at Chase Centre in California, on Wednesday January 6. Clippers won the game 108-101. AFP

Stuttgart goalkeeper Gregor Kobel saves a penalty from Emil Forsberg of RB Leipzig during the Bundesliga match at the Mercedes-Benz Arena on Saturday, January 2. Leipzig won the match 1-0. EPA

The United States team celebrates victory over Canada to win the IIHF World Junior Championship at Rogers Place in Edmunton, on Tuesday, January 5. Getty

Century Racing's Brian Baragwanath and Taye Perry in action during Stage 4 of the Dakar Rally1 between Wadi Al Dawasir and Riyadh on Wednesday, January 6. EPA

Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel in action during the cyclo-cross World Cup event in Hulst, the Netherlands, on Sunday, January 3. EPA/

Poland's Piotr Zyla soars competes at the Four-Hills ski jumping tournament in Bischofshofen, Austria, on Wednesday, January 6. AFP

Mini's driver Stephane Peterhansel and his co-driver Edouard Boulanger compete during Stage 5 of the Dakar Rally between Riyadh and Buraydah in Saudi Arabia, on Thursday, January 7. AFP

Rui Hachimura of the Washington Wizards scores a lay up during the first quarter of the NBA game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Centre in Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, January 6. The 76ers won 141-136. AFP

It might be a New Year, but it is the same old story for Cristiano Ronaldo.

The prolific Juventus striker was on target twice during his team's 4-1 thrashing of Udinese on Sunday, taking him clear at the top of Italy's goalscoring chart.

Four days later, Ronaldo and Juve were back in action and winning again, this time a 3-1 victory against table-topping AC Milan to end the Rossoneri's 27-game unbeaten run in Serie A.

Over in Spain, it was a similar tale for Ronaldo's old sparring partner Lionel Messi. The Argentine produced arguably he best performance of the season as he scored twice in Barca's 3-2 win at Athletic Bilbao.

We have picked out 25 stunning images from the last seven days in the photo gallery above. To move on to the next picture click on the arrows, or if using a mobile device, simply swipe.