Social Buzz Ahead of Champions League Action

Everyone knows Cristiano Ronaldo is pretty into himself, but his fans on social media are more than OK with that—as long as he delivers for Real Madrid in Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Schalke.

CR7 has come under fire for his declining form after winning the Ballon d’Or, and fans are quickly growing restless with the Portuguese’s antics (his public displeasure with Gareth Bale, his extravagant birthday party after the humiliating loss to Atletico Madrid, that very special statue his hometown erected) now that they aren’t being offset with amazing feats of goalscoring on a daily basis.

Since Christmas, Ronaldo’s shots on goal have decreased from 3.7 per game to 1.4, per ESPN. In his first 15 league matches of the season, CR7 scored 28 goals...but his last 10 outings have only yielded five.

What is perhaps most upsetting to Madrid’s star man, though, is the fact that this slump has allowed eternal rival Lionel Messi to break his La Liga hat-trick record and go level with the Portuguese as top scorer in Spain.

It seems the levee has even broken for some diehard fans after Madrid’s 1-0 loss to Athletic Bilbao, with 32 percent calling for Ronaldo to be dropped from the starting XI:

Though Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti did not agree with those exact sentiments, he expressed his dissatisfaction with Ronaldo and co by saying they “played too individually,” per ESPN.

Just before Tuesday’s Champions League match with Schalke, Ancelotti posted a thinly veiled reminder of that criticism on his official Twitter account, suggesting his players’ individualism needs to take a back seat for the good of the team:

Whether you like Ronaldo or not, it’s hard to argue with that call for change.

However, other social media users have been quick to point out that there is more to Ronaldo than just the last two months. His La Liga performances may be in free fall, but his Champions League reputation is still sterling:

CR7 scored in his last outing against Schalke and has the chance to join Messi atop the all-time Champions League goalscoring leaderboard with a tally today:

And let’s not forget another huge factor that will help Ronaldo rediscover his brilliant best: the return of Luka Modric.

Even if he only plays as a substitute against Schalke, the Croatian central midfielder will add some much-needed stability to the center of the park and some inch-perfect passes for Ronaldo going forward.

And who can say—perhaps he’ll be subbed on in the second half with Madrid trailing 1-0, perfectly poised to make a heroic return by assisting Ronaldo (or Bale, if he really wants to make a splash).

Madrid fans know the playmaker can be the difference for their struggling team, and they have been quick to celebrate his return (even if he only gets a short run out Tuesday) because of what it means going forward:

"

Welcome back @Modric19 !! ♥ :'D #HalaMadrid #HalaModric #RealMadridvsSCH #ChampionsLeague #uefachampionsleague #Bernabéu #Madrid

— Daniel Krall (@danielkrall92) March 9, 2015"

The fans know Ronaldo needs support and that his poor (by his standards) performance aren’t entirely his fault. However, any shortcomings at the highest level are often inflated exponentially and placed on the shoulders of the most prominent players—which, thanks in part to his already inflated personality, means CR7 almost every time.

Thanks to Schalke’s laundry list of injuries (including eight first teamers), Tuesday’s match could be a cakewalk for Madrid at the Bernabeu. They’re on a 21-game unbeaten stretch at home and already have a 2-0 aggregate lead.

It seems like everything is in their favor, but that might actually be a bad thing for Madrid.

Imagine this scenario: Toni Kroos, Isco and Lucas Silva are caught too far up the pitch and Schalke get a fast break. By capitalizing on the unfamiliarity between Raphael Varane and Pepe, natural goalscorer Klaas-Jan Huntelaar beats shadow-of-his-former-self Iker Casillas and the Germans go up 1-0.

Will the home fans—who are expecting an easy rout of an inferior side fighting against a two-goal deficit—simply shrug it off and continue to feel confident their boys will see the match through?

Or will those fans immediately flood the Bernabeu with boos and whistles, heaping pressure on a Madrid team already struggling with recent form?

After seeing their club spend hundreds of millions on many of the best players in the world, Madrid fans do not appreciate failure (or even the hint of it) from a squad they think should always get the job done.

On social media, these fans are eager to point to Madrid’s record trophies and unbeaten streak in the Champions League. Unfortunately for the players, that common perception leaves the day-to-day squad carrying the burden of Atlas—for whom even a minor stumble feels like the whole world might tumble off his shoulders.

If Madrid score first, then it will be business as usual and all will be well in the Spanish capital. However, if Schalke draw first blood, then the Germans won’t be the only sharks in the water at the Bernabeu.

Watch for a compact Schalke defense to hold off some early forays by Madrid’s top-heavy lineup but then pounce on the counter to put fear into the home side’s heart.

Even if they don’t score early, the threat will be enough to unsettle fans and players alike—and that, by itself, could be enough to open the door to a Madrid defensive lapse and an exciting finish to this tie.