Will Cristiano Ronaldo's International Schedule Help or Hurt Real Madrid?

Last week Northern Ireland felt the full force of an in-form Cristiano Ronaldo when the Portugal international turned their World Cup Qualifying match on its head with a quick fire hat-trick in Belfast.

On Tuesday night Galatasaray were on the receiving end of the Real Madrid star's second treble in a week as Los Blancos took the Turkish side to the cleaners on the opening night of the Champions League's group stages.

But with Real Madrid having a packed schedule in the buildup to Christmas, could Portugal's stuttering qualifying campaign prove a hindrance to Carlo Ancelotti?

With two matches to go, Russia top Group F ahead of the Portuguese by a solitary point. And although they're both away from home, Fabio Capello will quietly expect his side to prevail in their last two fixtures against Luxembourg and Azerbaijan. 

That considered, even wins over Israel and Luxembourg will probably see Ronaldo and his Portugal teammates slip into a two-legged playoff match in November.

So after those two must-win matches coming up in October with his national team, the 28-year-old could then find November features a winner-takes-all tie in the bid to travel to Brazil next summer against a country like Croatia, Sweden or, worse still, France.

The FIFA virus—players picking up knocks on international duty—is very much a thing in Spain, so Madrid could certainly do without Portugal's fragile qualifying display adding to their No. 7's schedule.

Barcelona and Real Madrid have been decimated in recent seasons by the travels and matches—admittedly mainly by their Spanish and Brazilian internationals—their players have participated in, but is it all bad?

Providing he stays injury-free, it could be quite the opposite for Ronaldo.

His hat-trick against Northern Ireland came at a time when he hadn't started the season especially well; four goals have followed in his next two matches for Madrid, suggesting his international treble sputtered him into life.

The three against Galatasaray brought up 206 goals in 204 games for Los Blancos, and, as a player who thrives on goals, success and confidence, it is arguably important that Ronaldo plays as much as possible when he hits these purple patches. 

Although his fitness was questionable in the Champions League semifinals last season, it is notable that Transfermarkt suggest he's not had an injury since the 2010/11 season. Of course in all these important matches he runs the risk of injury, but what's to say he won't get injured playing against Getafe this weekend or against Elche three days later? Nothing.

Ronaldo is around the peak age for a footballer, a few more games for Portugal is not going to affect his performances in the Spanish capital.

In fact, if he's the the hero when they seal their passage to Brazil, then he could return to the Bernabeu with a spring in his step for the fixture congestion ahead of the winter break.

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