Cristiano Ronaldo insists stuttering Real Madrid can still make it an “incredible year” if they manage to win the Champions League for a third successive time.
Madrid enjoyed a record-breaking 2017, winning five trophies in a calendar year for the first time, but since lifting the FIFA Club World Cup in December things have gone badly awry for the Spanish giants.
The defence of their LaLiga title is in tatters after falling 19 points behind leaders Barcelona, while Wednesday’s shock home defeat to Leganes saw them dumped out of the Copa del Rey.
FT: #RealMadrid 1-2 @CDLeganes (@Benzema 47′; Eraso 31′, Gabriel 55′) (2-2 agg, Real Madrid lose on away goals)#RMCopa pic.twitter.com/34miM6pwbn
— Real Madrid C.F.?? (@realmadriden) January 24, 2018
That has left coach Zinedine Zidane under increasing pressure but Ronaldo believes Madrid can still make this a memorable season.
“If we can win the Champions League at the end of the year, it will be an incredible year,” he told Chinese football app Dongqiudi after receiving an award at Madrid’s Valdebebas training ground, as reported by Marca.
Madrid’s all-time record goalscorer has not given up on the possibility of mounting a league challenge either.
“We haven’t started well in LaLiga and we are disappointed, nobody is happy about that,” he added.
“But now we must work hard for the Champions League because it’s the most important trophy for us.
Real Madrid in 2017 = ?????#UCL winners in 2018? ? pic.twitter.com/Wwkzz8CnzI
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 2, 2018
“It will be difficult in LaLiga, but we can’t give up, even if we have dropped many points since the start of the season.
“The only solution is to keep working.”
Madrid became the first club to win back-to-back Champions League titles when they beat Juventus 4-1 in last year’s final but face arguably the toughest last-16 tie possible this term after being drawn against Paris St Germain.
It’s @PSG_English vs @realmadriden with the first leg of their last-16 tie to be held at the Santiago Bernabeu before deciding the series at the Parc des Princes! ? #ItsOurTime pic.twitter.com/akDZzI1Xt3
— PSG English (@PSG_English) December 11, 2017
Zidane admitted following his side’s Copa del Rey exit that next month’s showdown with big-spending PSG could be make or break for his career in Madrid.
“That is clear,” the Frenchman said in Marca. “I am responsible for this.
“I’m the one who has to find solutions for the team to be more efficient.
Madrid captain Sergio Ramos, meanwhile, insists the players are always “the first ones to stand up” for their under-fire coach and warned against a change of management.
? @SergioRamos: “These are tough times, we have to work hard and stick together.”#RealMadrid | #HalaMadridhttps://t.co/T1JNpHg09w
— Real Madrid C.F.?? (@realmadriden) January 25, 2018
He told Marca: “I’m not a big fan of changes. We are the first ones to stand up for Zidane.
“To go out of the Copa del Rey is a failure. These are tough times, but we
must be as united as possible and not throw the rest of the season away. You
have to learn from bad moments.
“We are all responsible and we hope this serves some use in the future. We
still have the Champions League.”
