Share

Hummels thinks Ronaldo can be stopped

Cape Town - Bayern Munich defender Mats Hummels says that he has a plan to contain Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of Wednesday's UEFA Champions League first leg semi-final at the Allianz Arena. 

Ronaldo has smashed home an incredible 22 goals in his last 12 matches and also snared a hat-trick to knock Bayern out of the competition during the 2016/17 installment of the tournament. 

The superstar forward is expected to play a major role in the much anticipated clash between the Bavarians and Los Blancos in Munich. However, Hummels takes the view that the Portuguese has changed his game and he can be contained. 

Speaking to Sport Bild, the 29-year-old centre-back said: "I watch a lot of the big teams in action, I'm interested in football in general, so there are things you notice. 

"I think there are a couple of patterns with Ronaldo, there are certain anomalies. I'll try to make use of what I know, but I'm keeping it to myself. 

"Ronaldo has changed his playing style in recent years. He's not as dominant as he once was, now he's all about finishing moves off and scoring goals. In that sense, he's the best goalscorer in the world because he can score all kinds of goals, at any point in a game. 

"Real are a real threat from the flanks, and from set-pieces with central midfielders like Toni Kroos. You have to defend the balls into the box. That makes it difficult to defend against Ronaldo. He doesn't need eight touches before shooting. He does it with the first or, at the most, the second."
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
68% - 2737 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
32% - 1285 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE