Cristiano Ronaldo suffered the joint worst result of his entire career at the weekend.
The 5-0 defeat to Liverpool matched a humiliation 11 years ago, suffered back in November 2010.
Real Madrid’s 5-0 loss at the hands of a Barcelona side at their peak was one of those games which stunned Europe, and viewers who watched it will never forget it.
It showed how big the gap at the time was, with Jose Mourinho’s side left deeply embarrassed.
Ronaldo posted a message on Instagram last night showing his intent to bounce back, writing, “Hard work is the only pathway to victory. There are no shortcuts to glory. No pain, no gain.”
How Ronaldo bounced back
Ronaldo gave an immediate response to Real’s humiliation in 2010/11, by going on a scoring spree.
The superstar scored nine goals in his next six appearances in all competitions.
This included a matchwinning brace in his very next match as Real beat Valencia 2-0.
Ronaldo’s goalscoring spree included strikes in the Champions League and La Liga, capped off with a hat-trick and an assist against Villarreal.
Villarreal are one of the opponents Ronaldo will face in the upcoming fixtures with United, with the Red Devils visiting the Spanish side in late November.
Ronaldo went on to finish the season with a staggering 53 goals from 54 appearances.
Can Ronaldo bounce back with United?
Ronaldo is not the same player now at 36 than he was in his mid-20s, but his hunger and motivation remains the same.
He will be hurt by the manner of the loss, a stain on his reputation, and he will want to show he is part of the solution for United rather than a contributory factor to the team’s demise.
Ronaldo has still scored six times this season already for United and is the team’s top scorer.
While figures like 53 goals in one season may be out of reach, don’t bet against Ronaldo going on a goalscoring spree, starting with the match against Tottenham this weekend.
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