Real Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo's Madrid Must Decimate Ajax to Dominate La Liga

Real Madrid must prove to the rest of La Liga that they are the team to beat by decimating Ajax in their upcoming match.

Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t need back-to-back hat tricks, but it couldn’t hurt in the grand scheme of La Liga supremacy.

Ronaldo, despite battling nagging injuries, dissected Rayo Vallecano for three goals in Madrid’s 6-2 victory. It would be more than impressive if he was able to continue that momentum scoring-wise, but a team-induced shutout against Ajax would benefit Madrid greatly.

Madrid enters the match having won three of their last five matches, which includes a draw and a loss. They are still looking to redeem that 1-0 loss to Levante last week. They started that process with their six-goal performance, but more work must be done to prove they are the best team.

Madrid has scored 11 goals in their last five contests, and the six scored against Rayo pushes them in the right direction. Unfortunately, Madrid has not been as consistent. Yes, they broke out as shown by more than half of their recent goals coming in one contest, but Ajax has displayed envious consistency.

Ajax has won two of their last five matches, but their past three matches have ended in draws. Still, they are playing stellar ball and have scored 10 goals in the past five matches. Clearly, this team has what it takes to match their opponents punch for punch.

Given Ajax’s resilience and tendency to keep up with the opposition, it is imperative Ronaldo leads his team to an early scoring opportunity and puts the pressure on Ajax to match their intensity and smooth style. More importantly, Madrid needs to play tough defense and shut out Ajax.

Madrid should win this game, but they need to do so handily. Ajax has given up six goals in their last five contests, but they haven’t met a team with the quick-striking ability as Ronaldo’s Madrid.

As long as Madrid puts together a similarly dominant performance in this Champions League match, they will jump back to the top of La Liga after creating a shadow of doubt in recent matches.