Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real Madrid career came to a stunning end back in the summer with Juventus luring him to Turin in a £105million transfer deal.
The Portugal international’s departure has coincided with his former club failing to hit the ground running so far this season.
Real Madrid currently sit fourth in the La Liga table, winning four of their first eight matches but managing just 12 goals along the way.
That pales in comparison to Sevilla and Barcelona, who have struck 18 and 19 times respectively.
It would be easy to blame Ronaldo solely for Real’s plight.
But Balague, speaking exclusively to Express Sport, instead reckons that injuries to key players Marcelo, Dani Carvajal and Isco have played a part.
“The story is always simple if we have just one reason,” Balague told Express Sport.
“But it’s never as simple as that.
“What’s certain is they’re shooting less, scoring less, they create less chances. Something is happening.
“And that has coincided with the injuries of three key players for them.
“Isco, Dani Carvajal and Marcelo are all absolutely crucial to this team because they don’t have wingers.
“Ronaldo distorts the stats a little bit because he shoots more than anybody else in Europe.
“And at this stage last season he only scored four goals before January.
“So last season already there was a lack of goals from him.
“There’s no guarantee they would be any better.”
Balague also thinks Real lack a true striker with Karim Benzema failing to find the form that once made him one of the deadliest forwards in Europe.
“What is clear, I think, is they also lack a striker,” he added.
“Mariano was brought in to do that but so far that hasn’t worked.”