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For a man expected to be named World Player of the Year soon, Christiano Ronaldo doesn’t look happy. The Manchester United and Portugal star has had three trying matches recently though.

Last week Brazil took apart the Portuguese national team 6-2 and engaged in some of the showboating that Ronaldo is guilty of at times. His reaction was to commit a vicious tackle on an opponent.

At the weekend Ronaldo appeared for his club side against Aston Villa and hobbled off after what he thought of as rough treatment from the Villa defenders. For some time the player and his manager have complained that Premiership sides target the winger with violent play.

Over the summer Ronaldo agitated for a move to Spain, partly to get into a league where he felt the tackiling would be less aggressive. Ironic then that in Champions League game with Villarreal, international full back Capdevilla earned a red card for his dangerously reckless tackle on the United star man.

At the moment Christiano Ronaldo looks like a man who feels hunted down. The freedom and zest of last season has gone and unless he rediscovers his appetite, more and more opponents will try to rile him and unsettle his game. Time for him to prove his stature.

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