Real bimbang jika Ronaldo tiada

ANCELOTTI mengaku bergantung penuh kepada penampilan Ronaldo (kiri) untuk meneruskan kebangkitan Real dalam Liga Sepanyol.

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MADRID - Pengendali Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti mengakui tidak berniat untuk merehatkan Cristiano Ronaldo biarpun akan mengharungi jadual padat empat perlawanan dalam tempoh 12 hari.

Bintang sensasi The Galacticos itu telah beraksi kesemua tujuh perlawanan musim ini termasuk kejayaan meraih Piala Super Uefa sewaktu menang ke atas Sevilla dan juga kedua-dua perlawanan timbal balik Piala Super Sepanyol.

"Ronaldo tidak memerlukan rehat, kami memerlukannya kerana dia berada pada tahap terbaik ketika ini," kata Ancelotti.

Sebagai rekod, pemain berusia 29 tahun itu telah meledak enam gol dalam empat perlawanan terdahulu termasuk kejayaan hatrik sewaktu membelasah Deportivo 8-2 pada saingan Liga Sepanyol, Sabtu lalu.

Selepas ini, Real akan menentang Villareal pada Sabtu ini sebelum bertandang ke Bulgaria berdepan Ludogorets Razgrad dalam saingan Liga Juara Juara pada 1 Oktober.

Selepas itu, skuad bimbingan Ancelotti itu akan menanti kunjungan Athletic Bilbao di Stadium Bernabeu pada 5 Oktober sebelum rehat panjang bagi memberi laluan kepada perlawanan antarabangsa.

Biarpun berjaya 'meratah' Deportivo minggu lalu, namun Ancelotti menggesa anak-anak buahnya mempamerkan peningkatkan yang lebih tinggi.

"Keputusan menentang Deportivo sangat bagus tetapi ia boleh menjadi berlainan kerana kami masih perlu memperbaiki beberapa aspek dalam permainan kami.

"Kami perlu meningkatkan cara pertahanan kami tetapi saya fikir, kami kini lebih tersusun berbanding pada musim lalu," jelasnya.

Ketika ini, Real menduduki tangga ketujuh liga hasil dua kemenangan dan dua kekalahan sepanjang empat aksi Liga Sepanyol setakat ini.

The Galacticos juga berkemungkinan besar tidak dapat menurunkan dua tonggak pertahanan, Sergio Ramos dan Pepe menjelang aksi liga domestik bertemu Elche hari ini. - Agensi

Real Madrid 5-1 Elche: Cristiano Ronaldo bags FOUR and Gareth Bale gets another

• Real Madrid defeated Elche 5-1 in their La Liga clash at the Bernabeu
• Visitors took a shock lead through Albácar Gallego after a controversial penalty was awarded by referee Carlos Carlos Gómez
• Gareth Bale equalised with a header from James Rodriguez's cross
• Cristiano Ronaldo scored four more goals including a pair of penalties
• Portuguese has now scored 25 hat-tricks for Los Blancos 

Cristiano Ronaldo scored hat-trick number 25 of his Real Madrid career as Carlo Ancelotti’s side made it 18 goals in three games with a thumping win over Elche.

It was Ronaldo’s eighth goal inside a week and after the game he was asked if he was still happy at Madrid.

He said: ‘Things are going well for more on a personal level the team is scoring goals, winning matches and playing well.’ Asked about Jose Mourinho’s recent comments about the pair no longer having a relationship, he added: ‘It’s not for me to talk about things like that I’m just concentrating on what we are doing on the pitch.’ 

Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale celebrate after the Portuguese scored his second in the 5-1 victory

Elche forward Edu Albscar (R) scores a controversial penalty past Keylor Navas to open the scoring

Bale wheels away in celebration after bringing Real Madrid back on level terms at the Bernabeu

Ronaldo scored in his 13th consecutive home game after another controversial penalty

Ronaldo sends a kiss to the Bernabeu after completing his hat-trick from thepenalty spot.

MATCH FACTS 

Real Madrid: Navas, Marcelo, Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Kroos, Rodríguez, Illarramendi, Bale, Isco, Ronaldo

Subs: Casillas, Coentrão, Benzema, Hernández, Arbeloa, Nacho, Modric

Booked: Carvajal, Marcelo

Scorers: Bale 20', Ronaldo 28', 32', 80', 90'

Elche: Yagüe, Gallego, Pelegrín, Lombán, Cisma, Romero, Corominas, Rodrigues, Mosquera, Morales, Cristian de Jesus

Booked: Gallego

Scorer: Gallego 15' 

Subs: Suárez, Roco, Herrera, Martín, Fajr, Pasalic, Tyton

Ref: Carlos Clos Gómez

At: 65,000

There was crisis talk a week ago at Madrid but five goals against Basle in the Champions League, eight against Deportivo, and five against Elche here have silenced all the gloom.

They will face far tougher opposition in the coming weeks but now, fully in their stride, they will fear no one. Ronaldo even grabbed a late fourth goal from a Gareth Bale pass and that blossoming partnership is another reason for Real Madrid supporters to be full of optimism.

The highlight of the first half was a strange refereeing performance from Carlos Clos Gomez. On 15 minutes he pointed to the spot when Ronaldo looked to clear from inside the area and caught Pedro Mosquera unintentionally. Ronaldo later admitted that it had been a penalty but both Real Madrid and Elche players looked bemused.

Within minutes Gomez had made another very strange decision this time in Madrid’s favour.

Gary Mendes Rodrigues went down under a challenge from Marcelo. It was debatable whether the challenge had been a foul but the contact from Marcelo that brought the Elche forward crashing to ground was inside the area. Clos gave a free-kick on the edge of the area that Elche wasted. 

Albácar Gallego points to the sky after giving Elche a surprise lead from the penalty spot

Bale equalised only four minutes later with a towering header from James Rodriguez's cross

The former Tottenham Hotspur winger issues his trademark 'heart-shaped hands' goal celebration

New signing Keylor Navas (above) makes an acrobatic save while Iker Casillas watched from the bench

Before the next bizarre penalty incident Real Madrid were level with Bale heading in James Rodriguez’ cross. It was his fifth goal in five games - aided by Manu Herrera’s very flat dive.

Then came penalty number two with Gomez pointing to the spot after minimal contact from Mosquera on Marcelo – again players from both sides looked bemused but Ronaldo’s penalty was unstoppable into the top right-hand corner.

Real Madrid extended their lead when Ronaldo scored with another thundering header this time from a Bale cross.

The home side were now in complete control and debutant keeper Keylor Navas was having less and less to do. In for the rested Iker Casillas who is expected to brought back into the side for the weekend’s difficult trip to Villarreal, it was Navas first competitive match since the World Cup.

Casillas was still the centre of attention with cameras focused on the bench as he munched on an apple during the second half. He appears to be a dead man walking in Madrid’s battle of the goalkeepers with Navas unlikely to still be the number two next season. For now however the greatest keeper in Spain’s history retains seniority and this start for Navas was seen as a reward for his patience. 

Ronaldo hangs in the air before planting a bullet header into the bottom left cornerfor his second

Ronaldo strenghthened his reputation as one of the best headers in the game with a bullet second goal

Real defender Sergio Ramos (L) has a headed effort on goal during the first-half

Real Madrid players celebrate with Ronaldo en route to victory in front of their home fans

Ronaldo gets his fourth and final goal of the night after a break away in the dying minutes

Madrid toiled for the fourth goal and Ronaldo came close with a shot drilled towards Herrera’s near post scrambled away by the keeper who then fumbled the resulting corner kick.

Javier Hernandez came on with ten minutes left replacing James. The former Manchester United former had staked his claim for a place in the starting line-up with two goals against Deportivo last weekend but as if to show how difficult it will be for him to get into Carlo Ancelotti’s starting line-up, he was on the bench again despite the debut goals.

Hernandez’s appearance did bring a goal but it came from another former United player with Ronaldo wining another slightly dubious penalty and thrashing it home for goal number four and hat-trick number 25. He and Bale had not finished and there was a late fourth for Ronaldo – his eighth goal inside a week.

Earning their stripes: Zebra go head to head with wildebeest in battle to cross river to reach grasslands

• Band of zebras fight their way through thousands of wildebeest as they attempt to make their way across river
• Photographer Viktoras Dubinskas captured the scenes at the Mara river as the zebras battled their way through water
• The annual migration sees thousands of wildebeest move across the plains in search for new grazing opportunities

Fighting their way through the hordes of wildebeest, a band of zebras bravely attempt to cross one of the Serengeti's fast-flowing rivers in their bid to reach fresh grasslands.

The annual migration sees thousands of wildebeest move across the plains in search for new grazing opportunities.

As they make the journey however they are forced to attempt to find a way across the frantic waters.  

Earning their stripes: A band of zebras battle their way through thousands of wildebeest as they attempt to cross the Mara river to reach fresh grasslands

Battle: The zebras joined an estimated 50,000 wildebeest as they attempted to cross the river during the annual migration on the Serengeti

Survivor: Many wildebeest were trampled to death but all of the zebras managed to survive the crossing

Hordes: Photographer Viktoras Dubinskas, 45, captured the scenes and estimated more than 50,000 wildebeest attempted to cross the river

River-crossing: The annual migration sees thousands of wildebeest move across the plains in search for new grazing opportunities

But as the thousands of wildebeest attempted to cross the Mara river, a smaller group of about ten zebras also made a bid to get to the other side, which left them fighting to make their way through the herd. 

Photographer Viktoras Dubinskas, 45, captured the scenes and estimated more than 50,000 wildebeest attempted to cross.

He decided to focus on the brave zebra, capturing a series of stunning shots as they battled their way across the river.

Many wildebeest were trampled to death but all of the zebras managed to survive the crossing.

One zebra was even dunked underwater for around 30 seconds but somehow managed to escape by biting the wildebeest before swimming to safety.

Mr Dubinskas, from Fuengirola, Spain, said: 'When I finished shooting my driver and I were left speechless.

Difficult crossing: One zebra was even dunked underwater for around 30 seconds but somehow managed to escape by biting the wildebeest before swimming to safety

Journey: The wildebeest have to make their way across the fast-flowing waters as part of their annual migration

Struggle: On this occasion a smaller group of about ten zebras also made a bid to get to the other side, which left them fighting to make their way through the herd

Mr Dubinskas, from Fuengirola, Spain, said: 'I've made more than 20 trips to the wild in Africa but nothing I have seen before can compare to this'

Mr Dubinskas said a number of the wildebeest were trampled to death as they tried to cross the river, although all of the zebras managed to survive

The photographer said: 'When one escaped from the mud by biting all wildebeest around in a panic it was like a miracle'

'I've made more than 20 trips to the wild in Africa but nothing I have seen before can compare to this.

'Shooting herds is never easy but when the zebra entered the river they gave us something to focus on.

'When one escaped from the mud by biting all wildebeest around in a panic it was like a miracle.'