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Cristiano Ronaldo’s performance even won over the Liverpool boo boys Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo sparkles to win over the Liverpool fans
(35 minutes later)
He came. He scored (of course). He wandered off to a round of applause. The appearance of CR7 in L4 was always likely to bring with it a rare sense of event glamour, if only for the rarity value of a visit by the incumbent Ballon d’Or winner on English soil, and more specifically at Anfield itself. In 23 years since the creation of the Fifa player of the year award this was the first time the current world No1 had played here. He came. He scored (of course). He wandered off to a round of applause. The visit of CR7 to L4 was always likely to bring with it a sense of event glamour, if only for the rarity value of an appearance by the winner of what is now called the Ballon D’Or on English soil, and more specifically at Anfield itself: in 23 years since the creation of the Fifa world player gong Cristiano Ronaldo was the first incumbent world No1 to play here.
He did not disappoint, on a night that had started well enough for Liverpool, as their high tempo high-pressing game hurried the European champions at times in the first 20 minutes, with Raheem Sterling looking potent in his drifting No10 role. He didn’t disappoint either, on a night that had started well enough for Liverpool, their high tempo high-pressing game hurrying the European champions at times in the first twenty minutes, with Raheem Sterling looking potent in his drifting No10 role. At which point: enter Ronaldo.
At which point: enter Ronaldo. As Liverpool pressed hard in midfield Ronaldo simply waited – he is a good waiter – for Toni Kroos and Isco to assert themselves, drifting inside and producing, when his moment came a superbly-executed goal that would effectively decide the game. A quick exchange of passes with Karim Benzema ended with James Rodríguez wafting a brilliantly-crafted pass not just into Ronaldo’s path but perfectly calibrated into his stride as he ran beyond a square defence. The finish was also sublime: a precious little dink on the run across Simon Mignolet into the corner, all the more striking as a decisive moment of stillness on what had been, up until that point, a relentlessly energetic night. As Liverpool pressed hard in midfield Ronaldo simply waited – he is a good waiter – for Toni Kroos and Isco to assert themselves, drifting inside and producing a superbly executed goal that would effectively decide the game. A quick exchange of passes with Benzema ended with James Rodríguez wafting a brilliantly crafted pass not just into Ronaldo’s path, but calibrated perfectly into his stride as he ran beyond a square defence. The finish was also sublime: a precious little dink on the run across Simon Mignolet, all the more striking as a moment of decisive stillness on what had been to that point a relentlessly energetic night.
After which, it must be said, Liverpool looked in danger of being overrun as Madrid asserted their champion qualities: the brilliantly swift passing, the adhesive touch of every player in white, and Kroos’s regal sense of command in possession. After which Liverpool looked in danger of being overrun at times as Madrid asserted their champion qualities: the brilliantly swift passing, the adhesive touch of every player in white, and Toni Kroos’s regal sense of command in possession. It was from the German’s cross that Benzema produced a fine neck-twisting header to make it 2-0. Which became 3-0 by half time as Benzema scored again, on a night when his bullocking presence was in complete contrast to another meek and sluggish showing by Liverpool’s own poster boy attacker Mario Balotelli.
It was from the German’s cross that Benzema produced a fine neck-twisting header to make it 2-0, which became 3-0 by half-time as Benzema scored again, on a night when his bullocking presence was in complete contrast to another flickering and ultimately rather dunderheaded showing by Liverpool’s own poster boy attacker Mario Balotelli. The Italian was booed off at the break by a section of the home fans and caught on camera swapping his shirt with Pepe: a moment of pure idiocy from a player in a team that was 3-0 down at home and in the process of being swatted magisterially aside. At half time Balotelli was booed off by a section of the home fans, and then caught on camera swapping his shirt with Pepe: a moment of pure thoughtlessness from a player in a team 3-0 down at home and in the process of being swatted magisterially aside. Oh, Mario. Why … well, you know the rest. Balotelli didn’t appear again after half time. “We needed a wee bit more movement centrally,” Rodgers explained afterwards, with killing understatement. It was a case of managerial euthanasia.
Ronaldo, by contrast was clapped generously by Liverpool supporters as he left the pitch with 20 minutes remaining, while even his delayed entrance for the warm-ups at the start had a certain A-list theatricality, with a gloved wave to the crowd and a high-stepping gambol about the Anfield turf. Ronaldo, by contrast was clapped generously by Liverpool’s support as he left the pitch with 20 minutes remaining, while even his delayed entrance for the warm-ups at the start had carried a certain A-list theatricality, with a gloved wave to the crowd and a high-stepping gambol about the Anfield turf. On a familiarly boisterous night at this corrugated noise funnel of a stadium his first touch after five seconds drew boos and then cheers as he was shunted to the ground by Jordan Henderson.
On a familiarly boisterous night at this corrugated noise funnel of a stadium his first touch after five seconds drew boos and then cheers as he was shunted to the ground by a well-timed tactical barge by Jordan Henderson. And for a while he flickered around the fringes as the match subsided into a series of high energy collisions. There is a kind of goal-porn thrill to the various C-Ron scoring stats doing the rounds – Liverpool have 17 goals this season; Ronaldo now has 20 – but beyond this there is also a delicious kind of grandeur to his movements around the pitch. One early leap, hang and nod-down above Glenn Johnson had jaws dropping in the stands. Moments later he skipped past Johnson on the outside for the first time, then took the ball and went inside him to take a low skimming shot at goal. Later, with Madrid 3-0 up, he beat Martin Skrtel three times in a single meander down the wing, the last with a gratuitous little “elastico”. As Liverpool pressed in the second half Ronaldo contended himself with strolling across the front line, a potent spectator: as was Balotelli by that stage – and there is of course a n unflattering comparison to be drawn between two players linked by an unfortunate statistic. Ronaldo has taken more shots at goal this season than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues. Second on the list is Balotelli . Ronaldo has 15 league goals. Balotelli has none.
There is a kind of goal-porn thrill to the assorted C-Ron scoring stats doing the rounds – Liverpool have 17 goals this season; Ronaldo now has 20 – but beyond this there is also a delicious kind of bespoke grandeur to his movements around the pitch. One early leap, hang and nod-down above Glen Johnson from a long pass had jaws dropping in the stands. Moments later he skipped past Johnson on the outside for the first time, then took the ball and went inside him to take a low skimming shot at goal. This is of course a little unfair. Ronaldo is in his prime whereas Balotelli is painfully short on confidence. But it also seems to chime with the sense of Balotelli as a kind of anti-Ronaldo, the acme of the modern day Haircut Player. Here is a striker with all the moves, the attitude, the style, but very little right now to counterbalance such flouncing amour propre. Whereas Ronaldo can strut as much as he likes, a player who is in many ways an ideal professional, a man of Roy Keane-proof dedication, who will ultimately leave football with no corner of his considerable talent left unexplored. Despite the scoreline this was a night when Anfield couldn’t help but enjoy, just a little, the appearance of this princely world No1 and a champion team with strength in reserve.
Later, with Madrid 3-0 up, he beat Martin Skrtl three times in a single meander down the wing, the last with a disdainful little “elastico”. And as Liverpool pressed in the second half Ronaldo strolled across the front line, a potent spectator, as was Balotelli by that stage, a half-time substitute, apparently because of injury.
There is of course a deeply unflattering comparison to be drawn here between two players linked by an unfortunate statistic. Ronaldo has taken more shots at goal this season than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues. Balotelli is second on the list. Ronaldo has 15 league goals. Balotelli has none.
This is perhaps a little unfair. Ronaldo is in his absolute pomp, whereas Balotelli is clearly – and painfully for a man of such tangible neediness – short on confidence. But it also seems to chime with the sense of Balotelli as a kind of anti-Ronaldo, the acme of the modern day Haircut Player. Here is a striker with all the moves, the attitude, the style, the languid egocentricity, but very little to counterbalance such flouncing amour propre. Whereas Ronaldo can preen and strut as much as he likes: he works like a soldier, has neglected no part of his skill-set or physique, and is in many ways an ideal professional, a man of Roy Keane-proof dedication who could, frankly, have turned out here in a tutu if the mood took him. Despite the decisive scoreline this was a night when Anfield couldn’t help but enjoy, just a little, the appearance of this champion team and its princely world No1.