Cristiano Ronaldo Knee Fears Raised as Lionel Messi Overshadows Real Madrid Star

AS editor Alfredo Relano believes continued knee trouble is behind Cristiano Ronaldo's lack of form for Real Madrid.

The Portuguese superstar suffered with thigh and knee problems prior to last summer's World Cup, but despite an excellent goalscoring run during the first half of the season, Relano believes CR7's game has changed.

"Seeing how he rations his runs, I have come to believe that the problems in his knee remain," writes Relano. He suggests that "Ronaldo is not what he previously was" and pinpoints the player's lack of goals from free-kicks as evidence of an underlying injury.

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Ronaldo has scored seven in 12 matches since the onset of 2015, five in nine La Liga displays, per WhoScored.com. However, since securing the 2014 Ballon d'Or, Ronaldo has lost significant ground to Lionel Messi, per AS:

Both are now locked on 30 goals in La Liga. Barcelona took advantage of Real Madrid's loss to Athletic Bilbao with their 6-1 win over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, moving them one point clear at the top of the domestic table. This is some feat and an indicator of Los Blancos' dip considering Carlo Ancelotti's men went 22 games unbeaten across all competitions earlier in the season.

Messi's terrific turn of form undoubtedly amplifies Ronaldo's struggles. The Argentinian has scored 17 in 16 matches since the turn of the year, 15 in his last nine La Liga appearances, recorded by WhoScored.com. He is working excellently alongside attacking partners Neymar and Luis Suarez, helping Luis Enrique's side to overtake a Madrid outfit that once appeared destined to canter toward the title.

Ronaldo isn't enjoying such a relationship alongside Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, a misfiring trident that is starting to frustrate Madrid fans, per Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC:

Benzema has scored twice in his last seven appearances, while Bale hasn't hit the back of the net in his last eight, per WhoScored. There's a sense that the three are negatively affecting Madrid's balance, leaving the midfield needing to work overtime in the centre.

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This a problem Ancelotti can work through. If, however, Ronaldo is continuing to struggle due to a lingering knee problem, there will be far more serious concerns for the Italian manager to sort out. Ronaldo's lack of goals from free-kicks could highlight diminishing power or some kind of physical limitation. B/R UK underlined a disappointing run for the former Manchester United star:

Prior to last year's World Cup, when Ronaldo's knee problems flared up, Portuguese surgeon Jose Carlos Noronha is reported to have told the player to "let your knee rest, or your future is in danger," per El Confidencial (h/t Richard Arrowsmith of the MailOnline).

Relano's article suggests this kind of trouble may already be coming to fruition. Ronaldo is not a player who welcomes time away from the pitch, but at 30 years old, it's possible previous problems may be catching up with him.

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This will all be forgotten if Madrid get back to winning ways, though. Ronaldo has tallied a ratio of better than one goal every two games since the new year began, a rate most top-flight forwards can only dream of. Although the outright power, pace and incision of his game has been lacking in recent weeks, he is not the type of player who can be so easily dismissed.

After all, we're talking about someone who has hit 30 La Liga goals—the magic mark by anyone's standards—with two months of the season remaining. Whether his knee is causing problems or not, Ronaldo still possesses the natural quality to lead Madrid toward silverware.