CRISTIANO RONALDO is Juventus’ unlucky charm in the Champions League.
Juve crashed out at the last 16 stage of this year’s tournament on away goals after a 3-2 win over Porto left the tie level at 4-4 on aggregate on Tuesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo can’t believe it as Juventus lose out to Porto on away goalsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Cristiano Ronaldo can’t hide his dismay as Juventus crash out of the Champions LeagueCredit: AP:Associated Press
It means the Old Lady have failed to make it past the quarter final stage in Europe in each of the three years since Ronaldo joined the ranks in 2018.
The Portuguese superstar, 35, arrived in Turin in a £99million deal from Real Madrid, chasing more Champions League crowns.
Juventus were doing well before he donned the famous black and white shirt – reaching the final twice in four years before the landmark signing.
Ronaldo’s brace had helped Madrid beat Juve 4-1 in the 2017 final and the Serie A champs went down to Barcelona 3-1 two years previously.
Ronaldo won Europe’s premier competition four times in nine years at the Bernabeu but has been unable to replicate his success with the Italian giants.
In fact, the Manchester United hero has scored fewer goals in the Champions League in three seasons at Juve than he managed in his final year as a Galactico.
He has bagged four goals in Europe in the last two years and netted six times in his first campaign as a Bianconeri player.
That total of 14 is still short of the 15 he slammed home in the 2017-18 season with Madrid.
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He finished that campaign as a Champions League winner after Real beat Liverpool 3-1 thanks to two goals from super sub Gareth Bale in the final.
Ronaldo finished as top scorer – five clear of nearest challengers and Anfield trio Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.
Juve’s early exit at the hands of Porto has thrust the club into crisis with the Italian press slamming Ronaldo’s ‘betrayal’ of the team.
The former Sporting Lisbon ace was nowhere near his best on the night and appeared to be the flimsiest component of the wall that collapsed as he turned his back to allow Porto’s crucial late goal.
Fabio Capello slammed Ronaldo’s blunder as ‘unforgivable’ and his future at the club is now up in the air with finances pushed to the limit.
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Cristiano Ronaldo sulks in Juventus dressing-room in unseen footage for Amazon Prime All or Nothing trailer
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
