Cristiano Ronaldo has shortened the gap between him and Leo Messi this year, it's fair to say that if his goals manage to give Real Madrid the title against Atletico Madrid on May 28, he will be the front runner for this year's Ballon d'Or award. But his range goes much beyond that, not only is he Real's best card on the attack, he is also one of the players who assist the most for Los Blancos. Having been Real Madrid's main striker, Chilean former player Ivan Zamorano is convinced Ronaldo will be instrumental for Real Madrid that Saturday.
Omnisport did a piece on the former striker, they asked him how he thinks Cristiano Ronaldo will do in the final: "He will be the man in charge of making the difference. I think that Cristiano has been present on the big occasions during the season. When the team needed him in order to change a result or to carry the team, he did it. Although he suffered an injury that stopped his progression, he will have to be the man who can change the course of the final. I'm expecting the best Ronaldo in order for Madrid to win the final."
About the impressive run that Zidane has had during these five months, Zamorano is amazed by his debut as a manager: "Zidane has given more than 100 per cent. What the team has done is great. He has given another appearance to the team. I believe that, through his leadership, he has been able to transmit to the players at Real Madrid that being second is failure, that they have to fight until the end. We have seen his essence reflected on the players on the pitch. When Zidane became the coach, it was unexpected that Real Madrid will be fighting for the Liga title with Barcelona until the end, plus being in the Champions League final and playing the way they are."
Making a quick analysis on both sides for the Champions League final, Zamorano said: "Both teams are at a similar level. In Spain, Real and Atletico fought for La Liga until the end. From football and physical points of view, they come to the final on a par with each other. But if you take the last final between them as an example, I see a better Atletico now, more secure on the pitch. I think they have a bonus taking into account how they have reached the final: they eliminated two of the favorites of the tournament, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. So I think this Atletico arrive in a better condition than two years ago, but in comparison to Madrid, they're on a similar level. Little details will decide the final."
Photo credit: Real Madrid