After Real Madrid's relatively underwhelming start to the La Liga season, all eyes were on them as they visited the Signal Iduna Park to take on an in-form Borussia Dortmund side that was riding high on their magnificent Bundesliga form. However, the visiting party took little time to silence the home crowd and then began to take charge of proceedings.
Ronaldo takes his Champions League scoring tally to four for the season
On match day one of this UEFA Champions League, Ronaldo put in a magnificent performance against APOEL Nicosia and walked home with the match ball after scoring two goals.
The contest against Borussia Dortmund followed suit as the Portuguese superstar found the back of the net on two occasions once again.
After Welsh wing wizard Gareth Bale opened the scoring with a well-hit volley from close range, Ronaldo took over the goal-scoring burden and scored two fantastic goals to put the game beyond the reach of the German side. The former Manchester United star scored two second-half goals within the span of half an hour to ensure Los Blancos' comfortable 3-1 victory.
Ronaldo's first strike of the net came just four minutes after the second period began. Bale played a key role in setting up his side's second goal as he played an inch-perfect cross into the stride of the 32-year-old, who slotted the ball into the back of the net with aplomb.
He then added another goal to his tally in the 79th minute and put the game to bed with a powerful effort from point-blank range.
It was essential for Ronaldo to put in a good performance after a number of people started to cast doubts about his world-class credentials as he failed to score in both of his La Liga games. However, due to the standards he has set for himself, a two-game goalless run could be considered as a mini-drought, and he hopes that this performance will spur him on to bag goals on a regular basis in the league as well.
Surprised by the negativity surrounding him
After the game, Ronaldo was quizzed about his slightly mediocre performances at the start of this season, but he assured his critics that nothing was wrong with his game. He also believes that his countless accolades from the past already speak volumes about the kind of player he is.
The Daily Mirror quoted Ronaldo as saying, "It seems that I have to keep showing exactly who I am in every match. I am surprised as to what the what the public thinks of me, my numbers speak for themselves. I am an exemplary professional and I always have a clear mind. The criticism is getting worse."
The 32-year-old seems to make a fair point as he has been the ray of hope for the Spanish side since joining them from Manchester United. In 400 games for the capital outfit, he has scored 411 goals and has made a staggering 125 assists. Ronaldo still appears to have the charisma that makes him one of the best in the world and is set to win the 2017 Ballon d'Or. He hopes to be at the club forever and win countless trophies with them.
