Zinedine Zidane has insisted that Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has a 'unique ambition' that sets him apart from every other player.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner came in for criticism in the first half of the campaign after an underwhelming period that saw him net just four La Liga goals before the turn of the year.
Ronaldo has since racked up 21 goals in 11 matches overall, though, including four in the 6-3 win against Girona at the weekend, and Zidane claims that it was always just a matter of time before the Portuguese returned to his peak form in front of goal.
"He is very important for us. He transmits a very important, very positive energy for the rest of the group," he told reporters at his post-match press conference.
"On a personal level he has 22 goals, three behind Messi, so I hope [that goes well] for him, as when he is good, the team is good. He knows himself very well, knows when he must rest a bit, and when the end of the season arrives he is always very good.
"He scores goals, and always will. His ambition is tremendous, in every training game, every play, which makes him different from everyone else."
Barcelona striker Luis Suarez is the other realistic contender for the Pichichi award, boasting 21 La Liga goals for the season - one fewer than Ronaldo and four fewer than Mess.
Daniel Lewis
