Ronaldo has a point: BBC have completed just two games together compared to MSN’s

The Portuguese forward may not have chosen his words correctly in the aftermath of the derby defeat against Atletico, but stats show he is right to bemoan the club’s injury issues.

Cristiano Ronaldo has had some explaining to do. First to the press on Saturday after his clumsy comments that “if all the players were at my level, we would be top”, and then to his team-mates on Monday. However, the underlying message was correct: injuries have hurt Real Madrid in 2015-16.

The three-time Ballon d’Or winner surprised journalists in the mixed zone at the Santiago Bernabeu after the derby defeat against Atletico on Saturday, but he had not expressed himself quite as he had wanted and came out to rectify later on. Nevertheless, he still had to clear the air with his team-mates at Madrid training on Monday morning.

No problem. Coach Zinedine Zidane revealed on Tuesday that the matter is now closed and it is worth analysing what Ronaldo really wanted to say. After all, when the Portuguese speaks, it is usually when he has something important to say.

“My comments were misinterpreted after the game,” he later told AS. “I wasn’t saying that I’m better than everyone else. I was referring to injuries. The team have lost a lot of important players through injury like Pepe, [Gareth] Bale, [Karim] Benzema, Marcelo…

“That has harmed us and prevented us from reaching our usual level. I have the utmost respect for my team-mates and I would never want to offend them. I don’t consider myself better than anyone.” 

And the stats show he has a point. As usual, Ronaldo has played almost every minute of every game for Madrid in the current campaign and even though he has not been at his brilliant best in 2015-16, he has rarely played with both Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema together. And when he has, they have often been returning from a spell on the sidelines, short of fitness or subsequently suffered a fresh injury.

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi spent almost two months out earlier this term, but the Argentine has still played 30 games in 2015-16 and appeared alongside Luis Suarez and Neymar in 23, with the three completing the 90 minutes in 18 of those. Overall, Barca’s talented trident has played a combined 106 games and a total of 9,355 minutes.

Madrid’s BBC have been less lucky. Ronaldo has played 33 matches, but Bale has featured in just 17 and Benzema in 25 for a combined 75. In total, the trio have played in 14 games together but have all completed 90 minutes in only two of those (one was the 4-0 loss at home to Barca when the Frenchman was brought back in after six weeks out; the other a 1-0 defeat at Villarreal). In total, they have played a combined 6,072 minutes (just under 65 per cent of those completed by Barca’s MSN).

On top of that, Blaugrana boss Luis Enrique has rested his forwards on occasion, when games have come thick and fast. Rafa Benitez and now Zidane have rarely been able to do the same, however, because of frequent injuries to Bale and Benzema.

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