Cristiano Ronaldo and Benítez not on the same page - reports

Cristiano Ronaldo did not perform well against Sporting Gijón. It's true thah Real madrid's best chances came off his boots, but he wasn't involved in the team's collective display and was found in multiple positions throughout the match. The Portuguese star isn't too comfortable in Benítez's new system, according to Marca. Per that same report, Bale's freedom is not helping Ronaldo at all, while the Portuguese's relationship with Benítez "isn't great," according to some sources from Real's roster.

Furthermore, Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't want to play as Real's main striker, something that could help his scoring numbers.

One thing is for certain: If Rafa Benítez can't get the best out of Ronaldo, Real Madrid will not have many chances at the titles this season. Madrid have finished scoreless several games this pre-season and that could be problematic throughout the rest of the campaign unless Ronaldo manages to score some goals once again. No matter where he plays, Ronaldo is expected to be the team's leading scorer.