Ronaldo to hit unwanted benchmark at Real Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo has endured a complicated start to the season with Real Madrid and will not get off the scoring mark in La Liga until at least October.

For the Portuguese, waiting so long into a Spanish top-flight campaign to score his first goal is unprecedented.

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The latest the 32-year-old has ever previously had to wait to get off the mark was September 21, back in 2010. In every other season, he has scored at least one goal before then.

Of course, Ronaldo’s slow start to the season has been caused by more than poor form in front of goal.

After being sent off in the first leg of the Spanish Supercopa, he was banned for the first three matches of the league season and has, therefore, only turned out a couple of times for Zinedine Zidane’s side.

He has, however, drawn blanks against Real Betis in a 1-0 defeat and Alaves in Saturday’s 2-1 victory.

Madrid’s next fixture in the Spanish top flight is not until October 1, when they face Espanyol at home. After that comes the international break and a match against Getafe programmed for October 15.

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Ronaldo has good memories of facing Espanyol, though. It was against the Barcelona-based club that he found the net to end his previous longest drought at the start of a league campaign.

The superstar faces an uphill battle to beat Lionel Messi to the Pichichi crown, regardless. He trails the Argentine by an incredible nine goals.