Cristiano Ronaldo cannot be criticised, says Raphael Varane

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Real Madrid centre-back Raphael Varane says he does not understand the criticism towards teammate Cristiano Ronaldo. 

Varane, 24, was speaking before the Champions League draw on Friday in Nyon, and the France international said that he is surprised when people suggest that Ronaldo is past his best.

“You always ask yourself if they are both at their best level,” Varane told El Larguero.

“With Ronaldo, some even said that he was finished. When I talk to my friends they ask me: ‘Is he finished now?’ I say: ‘calm, calm’.

“I don’t understand how anyone can criticise a guy like Cristiano. I do not understand.

“With everything he has done, with what he continues to do, he cannot be criticised.” NaijaBet.com

So is Ronaldo past it?

Not by any meaningful measure, as Ronaldo is the only player alongside Lionel Messi to win the Ballon d’Or in the last decade.

The Real Madrid forward made a slow start this season after a suspension saw him miss the capital club’s opening four games in La Liga. The 33-year-old only managed to hit the back of the net once in eight appearances but since then his record has improved immensely. NaijaBet.com

Over his last eight appearances, Ronaldo has scored 17 times. This puts him on a total of 37 goals in 35 games in all competitions, a spectacular record by anyone’s standards and one that makes Ronaldo the highest-scoring player across all competitions in Europe’s top five leagues this season so far – one ahead of Mohamed Salah, who has 36.

Ronaldo is also the leading goalscorer in Champions League history with 117 and is on his way to becoming top-scorer in this season’s tournament, as well, with 12 goals so far in total. NaijaBet.com

In five out of his nine seasons for Madrid, the Portuguese superstar’s goals have exceeded his appearances. Ronaldo failed to achieve that standard last season, with 42 goals in 46 games, but is well on course to do so this time out, which would actually indicate he is improving, not declining.