Cristiano Ronaldo: 8 Reasons Why Real Madrid Should Rest Their Star More
Cristiano Ronaldo's 30th birthday party took place on Saturday, hours after Atletico Madrid had crushed his Real Madrid side, 4-0, at the Vicente Calderon.
When the Portugal star cut his cake, you wonder what he wished for. Perhaps to begin the day again and have another go at it.
Ronaldo is, officially, the best player in the world right now, even if his form is far below the current level being displayed by Lionel Messi.
While Ronaldo was licking his wounds on Sunday, he saw Messi score one goal and create four more, as Barcelona thrashed Athletic Bilbao to move within one point of Real Madrid.
Some say that it's time for Ronaldo's game time to be carefully controlled; the forward likes playing whenever possible, but would it be better to rotate him a bit more?
Here we look at some reasons to give him a bit more of a rest every now and then. From the impact on other players in the squad, through to the impact on Ronaldo himself, there's plenty of food for thought, even though it's hard to imagine Carlo Ancelotti doing this to the Ballon d'Or holder.
8. Help Prepare for Life Without Cristiano Ronaldo
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He won't be around forever.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been the dominant figure at Real Madrid for many years and synonymous with the success they have experienced in that time.
However, he is now 30 years old, and despite his impressive physique and dedication in the gym, time will catch up with him.
Madrid need to be prepared for life without Cristiano, and to their credit, they have made some moves in that direction.
Signing Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez means they have a couple of options when it comes to having a new "star player," while Martin Odegaard is a younger hot prospect.
Resting Ronaldo could give each of these guys the chance to prove he has the credentials to be the leader of the team's attack.
7. For Increased Defensive Solidity in Some Matches
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Diego Simeone's game plan against Real Madrid was to crush them on Cristiano Ronaldo and Fabio Coentrao's flank.
Simeone knows the forward doesn't like to contribute too much when it comes to defending, so Atletico hammered that area of the pitch, and it paid dividends.
Sometimes Madrid might find it more profitable to drop a forward out and add in an extra midfielder to try and retain control of the game.
It doesn't necessarily have to be Ronaldo; it could be Bale, but the Welshman's pace on the break could be a useful tool for Carlo Ancelotti.
6. Giving Youngster Jese Opportunities on the Left
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Real Madrid fans often complain that their academy products don't get much time to play.
Barcelona's team is largely constructed of players who have made it through La Masia, and that model is something most football supporters would like their teams to follow.
In Jese, Real Madrid finally have a player who has the potential to be a long-term star for their first team.
Ronaldo was missing through suspension against Sevilla recently, and Jese struck in a 2-1 win.
The more chances he gets to play, the better.
5. Some Say That Real Madrid Have Looked Better Without Him
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Against Real Sociedad, Real Madrid whipped up a storm, crushing David Moyes' men, 4-1, at the Santiago Bernabeu without Cristiano Ronaldo.
They followed that up with the 2-1 win over Sevilla before Ronaldo returned for their 4-0 thrashing by Atletico Madrid.
Nobody says that a Madrid team without Ronaldo would be better in the long run, but if the star of the team isn't in form, then it's worth giving him a spell on the bench, fostering the motivation to improve.
If he did bench Ronaldo, Ancelotti would also send a powerful message to his whole squad: Nobody is bigger than the team.
4. It Could Prolong Cristiano Ronaldo's Career
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Cristiano Ronaldo is obviously in excellent condition, except for one knee problem that crops up now and again.
If he is rested at the right times and not used for games in which Real Madrid don't need him to earn them a win, he could play on for a season or two longer than he might do otherwise.
Often, Ronaldo plays in games that he doesn't need to, such as the latter group-stage games in the Champions League. It's because he wants to rack up goals and break records.
But he might have more of a chance of doing that if he can continue playing for a couple more seasons by occasionally taking it easy.
3. Keeps the Squad Rotated and Happy for When They're Needed
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We haven't seen a great deal of Real Madrid's "undercard" players.
For example, Javier Hernandez has been almost invisible. But you never know when you'll need the reserves.
The injuries in the defence could easily happen again but to the attackers, in which case, the likes of Hernandez and Jese need to be immediately ready to fill in and play.
With Ronaldo, Bale and Karim Benzema always starting, if the reserves are needed, they will be rusty.
If Madrid have a crucial Champions League tie, that's not a good position to be in.
2. It Could Bring Back the Explosive Cristiano Ronaldo Impact
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Cristiano Ronaldo is still a wonderful talent, but he sometimes has an explosive edge and sometimes doesn't.
Perhaps it's been dulled by playing too much; with a few games out, he could come back into the team and play with the same supersonic power he is loved for around the world.
Ronaldo's form has dropped off since the turn of the year, and to get him back to the way he was at the start of the season, missing the odd game here and there might be essential.
Sitting on the sidelines will also rile him up and make him want to prove himself all over again.
1. To Get the Full Value out of Record-Signing Gareth Bale
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You don't sign a player for a world-record fee and not expect him to be able to lead the team when the star player is out.
Real Madrid need to get Gareth Bale to grow into his place at the club; he's learned how to play second fiddle to Cristiano Ronaldo, but he also needs to learn how to dominate when the Portugal star isn't there.
Against Real Sociedad, it was Karim Benzema who led the way as Bale spurned a few good opportunities.
It's a difficult game, learning how to be the star but also deferring to the current one when he's playing.
Bale needs more opportunities to put the team on his back and drag them to victories. He's scored a few crucial goals, but he is yet to deliver strong performances consistently.
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