Ronaldo Breaks Champions League Assist Record

February 16, 2017

The Real Madrid may be enduring his longest goal drought in the competition, but he is still playing his part in creating opportunities for others

Cristiano Ronaldo has set a new personal best for assists in a single Champions League campaign with Real Madrid.

The 32-year-old forward set up Toni Kroos for the holders' second in their 3-1 last-16 first-leg win over Napoli at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.

Ronaldo, who showed brilliant skill and a turn of pace to skip beyond Kalidou Koulibaly before teeing up Kroos, has now managed five assists in eight appearances in the 2016-17 competition - a personal record in his time at the club.

The Portugal star may not have scored against Maurizio Sarri's side - it was Karim Benzema and Casemiro who got the other goals after Lorenzo Insigne's opener - but the fact that he created a total of five chances for his team-mates belies the notion of him as a selfish centre-forward.

Indeed, no player for either side made more key passes than Ronaldo's five, with Luka Modric and Insigne closest on three each.

Despite reaching his assist landmark, Ronaldo is enduring his worst drought in front of goal in the Champions League, having now gone 523 minutes without finding the net in the competition.

(Goal)