Cristiano Ronaldo spoke of his joy at getting off the mark for Real Madrid but again insisted the most important thing is for the team to continue improving in the build up to the new season.
Playing in his third match since his world-record £80m move from Manchester United, Ronaldo netted his first goal for Madrid after slotting home a second-half penalty during tonight’s Peace Cup match with Liga de Quito.
Ronaldo, who also won the penalty following a jinking run which saw him cleverly skip between two opponents before being sent crashing to the ground as he attempted to round a third player, said of the goal:
“I’m very happy, very pleased to score my first goal in this shirt. It’s not always possible to make plays like that because your opponents don’t let you. It’s an objective achieved for me, but the most important thing is getting in form. Going game by game and improving.”
Ronaldo’s penalty put Madrid 1-0 up in a match Manuel Pellegrini’s side had to win or their hopes of making the semi-finals of the Peace Cup would have been over.
Soon after his goal Ronaldo then helped Madrid take a 2-0 lead when his low shot was parried by Quito goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez and Esteban Granero pounced to slot home the loose ball.
Madrid would go on to win the match 4-2, although they found it far from easy against a physical and hard-working Quito side, and they will now face Juventus in the semi-finals.
Ronaldo, who was replaced by Lassana Diarra in the 73rd minute as Pellegrini continued to give as many players as possible time on the pitch, said of that contest: “The game against Juventus is important with regards to our preparation for the league, which is the most important thing.
“The players are getting to know each other better and this is the positive thing,” added Ronaldo on his club’s website. “The coach is testing things out and you need to respect that. We are just starting and we have to be calm. Of course it’s important to win, but it’s more important to get to peak form.”