Back Ronaldo to hit the goal trail

Cristiano Ronaldo fired out a warning to the rest of Europe last week when he bagged four goals in Real's win over Racing Santander.

The Portuguese winger has been in scintillating form of late scoring eleven in six league and cup matches.

One of his strikes came in the 2-0 Champions League win over Milan, a result that put his side five points clear at the top of Group G and virtually secured a place in the knock out stages and the Champions League promotions reflect this.

Real have been forced to live in the shadow of rivals Barcelona recent years, with the Catalan team lifting the European Cup in 2006 and 2009. A new Galacticos era was supposed to lift the gloom but despite a vast outlay, including £80 million on Ronaldo himself, the club still finished second behind Barca last year.

But this year could be different as they have snared the special one, Jose Mourinho, from Inter Milan. Mourinho a league winner in three countries and a double Champions League winner, is the ideal man to turn Real from a team of glamour individuals to a winning unit.

Results in recent weeks it suggests he is slowly doing that and Ronaldo, just as he was at United, is at the centre of things. The Champions League best odds suggest he can drag his side to glory.

It was only a couple of years ago that the 25-year-old bagged 42 goals for Man United in a season that ended with the Red Devils winning the European Cup.

Given his performances so far this season it would be a good bet to back him to achieve a similar goal haul and help Real to Champions League glory in the final at Wembley next May.