RONALDO VS THE JUVE CURSE
For a sport that is drenched in cutting-edge analysis, football is curiously superstitious. Few other realms of 21st-century endeavour could so easily tolerate talk of curses and bogeymen. But then, Juventus’ Champions League curse started in the 20th century.
In 1996, Marcello Lippi’s side beat holders Ajax in the final. It was only Juve’s second time as continental champions. They’ve since reached five finals fruitlessly, and – worse – not got past the quarters on 11 occasions. Despite dominating Serie A, they’ve recently oscillated between the two unhappy outcomes: losing finals (2015, 2017) or exiting early (2016, 2018).
The premature departures came down to an uncharacteristic defensive fallibility, especially at home. In 2016 they had to recover from 2-0 down to draw with Bayern, who finished the job in Bavaria. Last spring, Spurs did the reverse in Turin, and although Juve’s Wembley victory led them into the quarters, they were beaten 3-0 in the home leg by a ruthless Real Madrid.
Bagging a brace that evening was a certain Madeiran. He also dispatched the 98th-minute penalty that ended Juve’s brave comeback in Madrid. Forget any lingering accusations of flat-track bullying in group stages: Cristiano Ronaldo scored 50 goals in 52 Champions League knockout appearances for Los Blancos.
Before signing Ronaldo, Madrid – no strangers to a Euro hoodoo – lost in the first knockout stage five times on the bounce. They did it again in 2010, but in his eight subsequent seasons they reached the semi-finals four times and won the pot four times, with Ronaldo their talisman.
For Juventus, CR7 has reversed his later Real Madrid form, sparkling in the league but scoring only once in five Champions League outings – a #narrative volley that didn’t matter because Manchester United fought back to win 2-1 in Turin. Ronnie will also be 34 by the time the Old Lady face Atletico Madrid in the last 16.
If they’re to revisit the Wanda Metropolitano for the final on June 1, Juve need their defence to do what they should and their main man to do what he does. Not since Real Madrid dominated between 1956 and 1960 has one player won four consecutive European Cups.