Cristiano Ronaldo says Real Madrid must beat Atletico Madrid
Real Madrid’s star winger Cristiano Ronaldo says that his side’s upcoming clash with city rivals Atletico Madrid is one they must win to maintain their lead at the top of La Liga.
As well as the importance of the match with regard to points, Ronaldo believes the fact that the game is a derby adds extra spice, making it a must-win fixture for his club.
He told Spanish media outlet Marca TV, "A derby is more than one game. We know that a derby is played by two teams from the same city, but we should not prepare for the clash any differently than others.
"We know that it is a difficult match, against a good team, but we are at home and it is a must-win match."
The sides meet on Sunday, 7 November, at the Bernabeu. Madrid are currently sitting in first place in the Primera Division, one point clear of Barcelona.
Following a difficult first few weeks of the season, where the former Manchester United star failed to find the net, Ronaldo has been in top form. He scored 13 goals across all competitions in October as he helped Los Blancos maintain their undefeated start
to the campaign.
The attacker added that he was pleased to be playing well.
"I am continuing as usual. Goals make the difference between playing good or bad. I am the same player as last year. I think that I have scored more goals that have helped the team, but I’m the same player. I feel good. I’m helping the team, and the team
is helping me."
Meanwhile, the 25-year-old also said that he never gave up hope that his side could find an equaliser against AC Milan.
Madrid were trailing the Italians 2-1 in their UEFA Champions League group stage clash, but Pedro Leon scored to grab a point for the Spanish giants and ensured their progression to the next round of the competition.
Ronaldo said, "We always believed we could score. We were able to score because we had many opportunities. We are very happy to get what we wanted."
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