Juventus vs. Lyon: Cristiano Ronaldo ready to deliver in the Champions League
Juventus have one more Serie A game left on the schedule, but the focus is already on the Champions League.
In late February, Juventus fell to Lyon in the first leg of their Champions League draw. It was an upset for sure, and now Juve must regroup and deliver in the second leg next Friday, taking nothing for granted.
The Bianconeri have one final Serie A game left on Saturday night against Roma, but they have already won their ninth straight Scudetto. So Saturday’s game will be about finally resting Cristiano Ronaldo and other key players before focus on Friday’s second leg.
Roma result aside, Juventus are stumbling into the Champions League. They may be Serie A champions, but they have looked uninspired lately, causing some fans to question Maurizio Sarri’s long-term future as the club’s manager.
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Juve most recently lost 2-0 to Cagliari in a performance that should have the club embarrassed again. They looked inept in attack and floundered defensively, failing to look like champions or even a club that should be confident in a victory against Lyon.
But if there’s a player who can make a difference in the Champions League, then it is Cristiano Ronaldo. That is, after all, why they signed the player for 100 million euros despite being well over 30.
Ronaldo is the greatest player in the competition’s history – a goal-scoring machine who seems to elevate his game to impossibly great heights when the occasion calls for it. And the Champions League certainly calls for it.
The Juventus forward is ready to deliver against Lyon, because he has to. Lyon’s defense is one Ronaldo should be beating with ease, because they are not at the level of the other teams in the competition. The tie with Lyon should be an easy victory for a club like Juve, which has designs on winning a Champions League of its own after signing Ronaldo from Real Madrid.
Matthijs de Ligt and others are more than capable of standing out as bright stars in the Champions League. But there is nobody who will be leaned on more than Ronaldo, whose goal-scoring and Champions League experience as a three-peat winner are simply indispensable to the Bianconeri.
Like his teammates, Ronaldo must step up against Lyon. He didn’t play well against Cagliari despite his efforts, often smashing shots right into defenders without any sort of purpose. Ronaldo’s nerves of steel from the penalty spot could save the day, but he cannot rely on Juve winning a penalty. He must show he can create on his own without Dybala, who may miss the game after picking up a thigh injury against Sampdoria.
Juve agree to terms with a striker. dark. Next
As much as his opponents hate to admit it, Ronaldo is a player his team can always count on delivering in big matches. Next week, Ronaldo can lift Juve to a win over Lyon and send them into the quarterfinals with another transcendental individual performance.