Cristiano Ronaldo Will Use Last Season's Disappointing Losses as Motivation

Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo must use last season's disappointing losses as motivation to lead his team to the championship this season.

The most notable loss came in the Copa del Rey final. Madrid suffered a 2-1 loss at the hands of Atletico Madrid, with recap courtesy of ESPNFC.com.

Everything started well for the superstar. He netted a goal early in the first half, but things didn't go his way later in the game. He was sent off late in extra-time with his team down a goal.

With one of the team's toughest losses coming when stakes were highest, Ronaldo and his team must use it as a learning experience.

Duncan Wright of the Daily Star reported earlier in the month that the star was being targeted by Manchester United. However, he is still a member of Real Madrid.

Madrid's season started off slowly, but they rallied for 2-1 victory over Real Betis, with match stats courtesy of ESPNFC.com.

Ronaldo didn't get a goal in the match, but he did make an impact. He recorded four shots on target and nearly put in the go-ahead goal off a free kick late in the second half. 

It appears that the 28-year-old will be sticking around with the club, so he needs to be able to use past disappointments for motivation this year.

The superstar did score 34 goals and notch 10 assists in 30 games in La Liga play last year. He had 62 goals overall last season, so there is no denying that he is capable of leading his team to victories.

To show how effective he is, check out Real Madrid's official Twitter account before Sunday's game:

"

.@Cristiano Ronaldo will play his 200th official game for Real Madrid today against Betis. (201 goals in 199 matches). #halamadrid

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) August 18, 2013"

It was just another milestone in the career of a great player.

Ronaldo scores at an incredible rate. Now that he remains with the squad, he must be fully committed to the team. Winning a title will go a long way in keeping him happy, so he will need to give it his all every game.

Letting games slip away can stick with players for a long time. The games that Madrid should have won last year but didn't should still be fresh in the minds of the players, especially Ronaldo.

It's a new season. The team pulled out a win on Sunday, but Ronaldo's going to have to push his team. Madrid didn't look great in the match, and there will need to be adjustments moving forward.

Finishing in second last year should serve as motivation. Madrid put pressure on Betis at the end of the game, so it could be a sign that they played with some urgency. 

Ronaldo can't win a championship all by himself, but he should be using last year's disappointments as a way to push his team for the entire season.

*All stats are courtesy of ESPNFC.com