Carlo Ancelotti wants Cristiano Ronaldo closer to the opposition goal. He has attempted to achieve this by pushing him forward, so that he is now playing more or less as a conventional striker, leading the line instead of prowling along the flanks.

The problem? Forcing Cristiano to start 30 yards further forward is like asking Usain Bolt to run 70 instead of 100 metres – it is a waste, failing to make the most of his power. Against Betis, CR7 looked static, receiving the ball with his back to goal and finding himself crowded out.

The Portuguese star finds it easier to get beyond the opposition defence when running at them at pace. Playing up top also limits his potential to shoot from distance, which is one of his main strengths. So far, the jury is most certainly out on Carletto's bid to cash in on Cristiano's eye for goal by moving him closer to the box.

Against Betis, Real Madrid tried to be too cute and ended up in a tangle. There was too much short interplay and the players dilly-dallied for far too long before reaching the opposition area. This resulted in possession being lost unnecessarily, with Betis given all the time in the world to get into position to defend.

What was needed were more long passes to get in behind Betis – and it wasn't for a lack of runs from Karim Benzema and Ronaldo. Though Luka Modric put in a great display, his performance was symptomatic, with too many short passes, too much faffing around, too many people drawn to the ball and not enough movement off it.