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Just like life, football is unpredictable. Who would've have thought that Real Madrid would be struggling this away, seven months after securing their third successive and record-thirteenth European title?
While the unthinkable scenarios in our lives may not be explainable, football, on the other hand, can be explained with the help of recent history and the statistical numbers surrounding the rise and downfall of football clubs.
While Juventus are enjoying one of the best seasons in their history, Real Madrid are looking into a crisis they've never imagined of - not in the past decade, at least. Nothing much has changed in the recent past but one man who has made all the difference.
It was on the 12th of July when Cristiano Ronaldo shook the world of football as he penned a deal with Italian giants, Juventus. Following a glorious nine-year-long tenure with the Los Blancos, the Portuguese left the Spanish capital in search of new challenges in a different league.
Continuing his love affair with collective silverwares, Cristiano Ronaldo's decisive goal in the Supercoppa Italiana handed Juventus their first title of the season against AC Milan. On the same night, when Leganes got the better of his previous club, Real Madrid.
While the Bianconeri are into their best ever first half of the Serie A season, Real Madrid, on the other hand, are on the fourth spot of the La Liga table with the most number of defeats amongst the top-six sides.
The 33-year-old has been Real Madrid's top-scorer in 2018, despite leaving the club in July, cementing the fact that the Los Blancos are finding it miserable to attack without the man who led their attack for the past nine seasons. However, nothing has changed for the Portuguese, who is currently the top scorer in the league known for its rigid defensive nature.
The only obstacle in Juventus' path to Champions League glory for the last two times, is now burning the candle at both ends to end their curse in the European tournament. With the five-time UCL winner sailing their ship, the Zebre are amongst the top favorites to clinch the UCL title, this term.
The departure of Ronaldo entailed the risk of a goal drought at the Bernabeu - something they've failed to deal with despite being linked with top-quality goal scorers such as Mauro Icardi, Neymar Jr and Kylian Mbappe.
Football, obviously, is a team game. However, once in the history, there's a goal-scoring machine who makes all the difference and enhances the quality of any team they represent. Cristiano Ronaldo has been just the same man for each of Manchester United, Real Madrid, and now Juventus.
Florentino Perez must be kicking himself as he made the worst mistake in his Presidential career as he let go of the best player in the history of the royal whites. This season has proved why Ronaldo's departure is the reason by Real Madrid's downfall.
