Cristiano Ronaldo left Wednesday's game for Real Madrid against Villarreal with an undisclosed injury. Initial reports indicates that Ronaldo was not doing too bad, but Friday's report has confirmed something unpleasant for Real Madrid fans: Ronaldo has a strain in his right muscle.

That is not the worst of injuries, but by all accounts it will keep him out of this weekend's clash with Rayo Vallecano and leaves him doubtful for next week's Champions League clash with Manchester City.

Ronaldo is not one to enjoying sitting on the bench and will have seen Luis Suarez close the gap in the Pichichi race this past week from five goals to just one.

But goal records aside, Ronaldo's injury is problematic for Los Blancos.

His Impact

The superstar has 47 goals for his club this season, including a whopping 16 in the Champions League. He was the reason that Los Blancos got past Wolfsburg in the quarterfinals and has thrived on this stage in a way no other player in history has.

Moreover, Ronaldo has been more than just a goalscorer in recent weeks with his performances against Eibar and Villarreal showcasing him as an offensive playmaker. He assisted on two goals against Eibar and while he did not register a goal or assist against Villarreal, he was the offensive juggernaut that destabilized the opposing defenses. Simply put, Ronaldo demands attention from opposing defenders, sometimes two at a time, especially when he is playing at the current level he is exhibiting.

Without Ronaldo, other teammates become the focus and this is where the problem lies for Madrid. Karim Benzema has been solid throughout the year, but he is just one offensive player; others must step up.

Will Slumping Bale Step Up?

Gareth Bale is going to be the one to get the spotlight in Ronaldo's absence. He was the man of the our in 2013-14 when Ronaldo also struggled with a late season injury. Bale was the hero in the Copa del Rey against Barcelona and eventually the winner in the Champions League Final that May.

Bale has had an uneven 2015-16, looking like the best player on the team for a long stretch in the fall and early winter, but struggling injuries the rest of the way. Since returning from an extended injury in March, he has three goals and two assists in eight games; he had 11 goals and six assists in the stint leading up to the injury, a total of 11 games. He had also been injured prior to that run.

Will Super-Subs Make Impact?

Madrid has a lot of substitutes to help out, most notably Jese Rodriguez, James Rodriguez, Isco and Lucas Vasquez. Jese could be the man of the hour this weekend, taking over the left flank for Ronaldo; Bale could also fill that spot and Vasquez could resume his spot in the starting lineup after impressing against Villarreal. Rodriguez and Isco are the ones who need to step up their games. Their have been solid in recent weeks, but now need to be more than that - they need to replace the man that has in recent weeks been the best player in the world.

Ronaldo could be back in time for the Champions League clash, but given his injury, one must question how effective his form will be from this point on. When he was injured in 2013-14 and played out to the end of the year, he was far from his best and could even be a hindrance on the pitch at times. The onus is on others to pick it up exponentially.

Can Madrid win without Ronaldo? They did it as recently as two years ago. They may have to do it again.

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