Cristiano Ronaldo Threatens Gento Champions League Record

In recent years, he has been one of the main men in the Champions League, and Cristiano Ronaldo returns to Spain with a date at the Estadio Mestalla.

His numbers reflect that too; 153 games and 120 goals in the competition.

Tonight, he debuts with Juventus in the tournament.

With him in their ranks, they are among the favourites because this is the tournament that has the biggest impact for Ronaldo.

Last Sunday against Sassuolo, he scored his first goal for the club, but after it he was already looking ahead to Europe.

"Now, the competition that I like the most begins," he said.

The danger therefore increases for Valencia given how driven the Portugal international is to succeed in the tournament.

He has won it for the past three years, in addition to winning with Real Madrid in 2014 and picking up another with Manchester United, meaning he is looking to the record of six from Paco Gento.

That adds extra motivation for him as he looks to pick up further records in the 17th successive edition that he takes part in.

Gento, Real Madrid's current honorary president, won six European Cups with Real Madrid.

He is followed on five by Ronaldo, Alfredo Di Stefano, Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta and several other Real stars from the five European Cup wins.

On four are a great deal of the club's current staff, along with Gerard Pique, Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Clarence Seedorf and Phil Neal.

At the Mestalla, Ronaldo takes on a Valencia side who have suffered against him for many years.

In 16 LaLiga Santander games against Los Che, Cristiano has hit the back of the net 15 times.

However, Marcelino's objective is to ensure that Ronaldo remains rooted on 120 Champions League goals when the final whistle blows tonight.

He will do everything possible to prevent a goal from the forward, something which is easier said than done when you note that he has scored in each of his first Champions League games since 2012.

Debuts are his thing and when it comes to the first match of the campaign in Europe, he starts as he means to go on.

That is something he showed against Manchester City (with a goal in 2012), Galatassaray (a hat-trick in 2013), Basel (a goal in 2014), Shakhtar Donetsk (a hat-trick in 2015), Sporting CP (a goal in 2016)

and Apoel Nicosia (a double in 2017).

Valencia have their work cut out if they want to spoil the party,

the Spanish MARCA newspaper reported.