How Cristiano Ronaldo's Potential 3-Match Ban Will Impact Real Madrid

We’re more used to seeing Cristiano Ronaldo engage in moments of brilliance rather than moments of madness, but when the Real Madrid superstar kicked out at Cordoba defender Edimar on Saturday, we witnessed the ugly side of a beautiful player.

The red card and subsequent ban are deserved—it's just a matter of how long Ronaldo will be sidelined.

As Pete Jenson of MailOnline revealed, the Portuguese front man will serve either a two- or three-game ban, depending on whether referee Jose Hernandez Hernandez deems the incident violent conduct or not.

Well, decide for yourself:

Will Madrid miss the Ballon d’Or winner in his absence, though?

Of course. Being without your star man isn’t easy for any team, even one as star-studded as Real Madrid, and the statistics are there to back that up.

But there’s no need to say the club’s title hopes are over just yet.

Ronaldo’s contribution to the cause this season has been emphatic, rattling in 28 goals in just 18 La Liga fixtures so far this term, per WhoScored.com.

However, it’s safe to say the 28-year-old looked incredibly flat in Saturday’s match, almost like a fish out of water against an extremely ordinary Cordoba side.

ESPN’s Dermot Corrigan reflected on as much, suggesting Bebe’s performance at the other end of the pitch was far superior to that of the heralded best player in the world:

Ronaldo needs a break. There are no two ways about it. Trouble in his personal life is dominating the headlines, while a busy professional schedule looks to have taken its toll.

He may well be aware of that, too, as it almost seemed as if he was trying his best to be dismissed—slapping Jose Crespo in an off-the-ball incident before eventually being given his marching orders.

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A couple of weeks to get his brain back to Ronaldo mode could well be best, and if the striker comes back even better than before, he’ll be near invincible.

Besides, Real have more than enough firepower to cope without him.

Gareth Bale plays as a supporting act to Ronaldo when both of them are in action—as Sky Sports' statistics show—but he’ll now be given the chance to be the main man.

The way he converted the penalty to defeat Cordoba in the 89th minute was almost a direct step into Ronaldo’s shoes, and he’ll look to do that once again in home fixtures against Real Sociedad and Sevilla in the coming weeks.

Bale isn’t the only one who could benefit from some squad rotation, though, as either Jese Rodriguez or Javier Hernandez may finally be given a chance.

Hernandez has only been handed cameo appearances here and there, but it’s safe to say he has the ability to prove himself on the big stage.

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Can he make as big an impact as Ronaldo? You'd think not, but his habit of being in the right place at the right time could come in handy with the talented front line creating chances.

A poacher is missing from Real’s lineup. Sure, Karim Benzema knows his way to goal, but he’s also one of the best creators around.

That same applies with Jese, who’ll have the space in which he loves to operate with Ronaldo watching on from the stands—particularly against weaker opposition like Sociedad.

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If Ronaldo faces a three-match ban, though, it’s a different story, as the fixture away at Atletico Madrid on February 7 is a potential banana skin.

We’ve already seen what Real’s rivals can do to them this season—their electrifying Copa del Rey victory earlier this month, of course—and if they don’t face Ronaldo next month, they’ll be more fired up than ever to ruin their neighbours' title hunt.

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It’s all rather hanging on the suspension length, but Cordoba’s Edimar told AS that he wants Ronaldo to serve a normal ban and that he forgives the frustrated striker—via ESPN.com:

"

I forgive Cristiano Ronaldo. I hold no grudge. I forgive Cristiano. Cristiano should receive a normal suspension, nothing more. I don't want to hurt him, and I hope that he remains the best player in the world.

"

If Edimar gets his wish, then Ronaldo will be back in action at the Vicente Calderon to take on Atletico with a huge point to prove both about his status as the world’s best and how he’s a necessity to the team.

Anyone who has watched the forward over the years will know this: Ronaldo playing to prove himself is terrifying for opposition defenders.