Rafael Benítez believes Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player in the world. The Real Madrid manager refused to make a judgment in July when asked whether Ronaldo or Lionel Messi was the best. Speaking before Tuesday’s Champions League opener at home to Shakhtar Donetsk, Benítez said: “To say that he is one of the best in the world I believe is sufficient. It is like asking my daughter if she prefers my wife or me. The father or the mother. It’s not easy.”
But amid rumours of a fallout with Ronaldo, who scored five goals in a 6-0 thrashing of Espanyol on Saturday to become Real’s leading La Liga goalscorer, Benítez has since backed Ronaldo as the game’s top performer: “Cristiano is an excellent player – the best in the world.”
Benítez had a warning for Isco, stating the midfielder needs to score more goals if he is to keep James Rodríguez out of the side when the Colombia international returns from injury.
James damaged a thigh muscle on duty with Colombia last week and will probably be sidelined for a month. Isco played in his place at Espanyol and is likely to do the same against Shakhtar.
While Rodríguez has two goals in two appearances, to add to the 17 he scored last season, Isco has yet to score in his three games and managed only six last season.
“Isco is a great footballer and what he needs to do is to carry on doing what he has been this whole time,” Benítez said. “Work, work with intensity and dedication and beyond that make the most of the quality he has to score the odd goal more. I am very interested in the contribution he makes in terms of effort and balance and if he is more effective in front of goal that is better for everyone.“
Real, the record 10-times European champions who last won the competition in 2014, were in electric form in their two most recent La Liga outings. They hit five without reply against Real Betis and followed up with the hammering of Espanyol.
Ronaldo is also the joint leading scorer in the Champions League with 77 goals alongside Messi and Shakhtar and their manager Mircea Lucescu could be in for a rough ride.
Real have only failed to win their opening home match twice in 45 European Cup campaigns and not since 1962 when they drew 3-3 against Anderlecht.
“They are a great team with a very experienced coach who always gets the best out of his new players,” Benítez said. “They have players with ability, quality and speed and if we are not very focused and do not take the game as seriously as we should we could find it difficult.”
