In just a night work, Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the first Manchester United player to score in the first four group games of a Champions league campaign since Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2003 and at the same time the player with the most stoppage time goals in the history of the competition.
Cristiano Ronaldo after the Champions League game against Atalanta. (Photo by Marcio Machado/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Having scored in the games against Young Boys, Villarreal and Atalanta in the first rounds of the group games, the five times Balon d’Or winner was at it again in Bergamo, scoring twice to help United to a 2-2 draw against Atalanta.
He in the process joins United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy on the infamous list while he also overtakes Lionel Messi total of seven stoppage time goals in the competition with his eighth, to become the outright holder of the record.
Moreso, the 36year old has scored 10 goals in the Champions League since turning 35, twice as many as the closest player to him, Didier Drogba.
Ronaldo’s total of nine goals have been very crucial for Ole Gunnar Solskjær side, with all of them coming when they are either drawing or losing.
With only one assist, he has contributed to 10 goals on his United return in 11 and the Portuguese is now two goals away from reaching 800 career goals.
Manchester United return to league action this weekend, when they host their city rivals in the Manchester derby on Saturday. They will be looking for more positive showing from their talisman to help gain the bragging rights in the local derby.
Afolabi Kehinde Hassan
