Allegri calls for VAR after Ronaldo is sent off Arteta rues sloppy City’s ‘cheap’ loss against Lyon
CONTROVERSIAL Juventus coach bemoans star striker’s straight red against Valencia but Pjanic scores twice to seal win
VALENCIA: Juventus believe they can win the Champions League with Cristiano Ronaldo, but they had to start by beating Valencia without him after he was controversially sent off on his debut in the competition for the Italian champions on Wednesday.
A tearful Ronaldo left the pitch in disbelief in the 29th minute, having aimed a petulant, but seemingly harmless, kick at Valencia defender Jeison Murillo. The Portuguese player then made contact with Murillo’s head while urging him to get up.
Ronaldo dropped to the floor like the tournament was lost after German official Felix Brych brandished the red card but Juve showed more composure, Miralem Pjanic scoring twice from the penalty spot to clinch a comfortable 2-0 win.
Valencia were even awarded a third spot-kick of the match deep into injury-time but Daniel Parejo missed.
“I can only say that VAR would have helped the referee make the right decision,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said afterwards. UEFA are yet to approve the technology in Europe’s premier club tournament.
Valencia fans celebrated Ronaldo’s dismissal at the Estadio Mestalla like a goal had been scored but, in truth, their team missed a golden chance to gain a foothold in Group H.
Ronaldo’s absence had little effect and the Italians won with ease. “You can say he’s increased the players’ desire to prove themselves,” Allegri said. “He’s raised the bar for everybody.”
BOOS AND JEERS
Valencia fans lined the streets outside just to witness the buses pull in, booing the visitors and Ronaldo, in particular.
They also jeered him during the warm-up, during which Ronaldo replied by banging a ball into the open net from two yards.
“We are not prepared to compete consistently with teams at this level,” Valencia head coach Marcelino said.
Ronaldo started brightly, with an ambitious shot from distance, and then had a hand in teeing up two glorious chances.
He first crossed for Federico Bernardeschi to set up Sami Khedira, before misfiring into the path of Mario Mandzukic six yards out. Each fluffed their lines.
Valencia had openings too but lacked punch. Michy Batshuayi, on his first start for the club, twisted round Giorgio Chiellini but was denied at the near post.
Then came the moment of the match with Ronaldo getting sent off. But instead of capitalising, Valencia twice capitulated. First, Parejo missed a high ball and kicked Joao Cancelo before Murillo took a risk by bundling down Leonardo Bonucci.
Pjanic stepped up for both spotkicks and scored both, the first on the stroke of half-time, the next six minutes after.
involving Ronaldo and Valencia defender Jeison Murillo escalated after the latter fell to the ground theatrically and the Portuguese star urged him to get up by patting his head. To many it looked as if Ronaldo had grabbed Murillo’s hair. The Valencia defender rose up in complaint.
who had his back to the incident, consulted his additional assistant, who was standing near the goal – a good 20 yards away, and on his advice deemed it a violent conduct on part of Ronaldo and brandished the dreaded card.
from Real Madrid to Juventus with lot of fanfare and is under tremendous pressure because of the huge expectations, including winning the European title, which the club had last won in 1995-96. In his four matches so far, however, the Portuguese has managed to score only two goals.
felt that Ronaldo’s actions did not deserve a red card, it is no denying that it was his frustration with the situation that led him to make contact with Murillo, giving Valencia players a chance to make the most of it.
Ronaldo gets an automatic one-game Champions League ban, which will result in him missing Juventus' home game against Young Boys on October 2.
will be dealt with by the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (UCED), which has opened an inquiry and will announce its decision on September 27.
is adjudged to be overly aggressive then UCED could extend his ban for an additional one or two ties. This would mean he could miss one or both the games against former club Manchester United on October 23 and November 7.
can’t appeal against the one-match ban, it can take up issues with UEFA if the same is extended by the disciplinary panel.
that it involved a minimum contact between the two players, such an appeal may not be needed. MANCHESTER: Mikel Arteta, the assistant coach of Manchester City, has stated that his side had only themselves to blame for the shock 2-1 defeat against Lyon on Wednesday.
With City manager Pep Guardiola serving a touchline ban, it was Arteta in charge as the Premier League champions suffered a dismal start to their Champions League campaign.
First-half goals from Maxwel Cornet and Nabil Fekir punished mistakes from City duo Fabian Delph and Fernandinho.
“We saw two very different halves. We conceded many counter-attacks and at this level you get punished,” Arteta said. “If you give cheap goals away it is difficult.”
Despite their sloppy performance, Arteta was adamant City would have been worthy of a draw if they had snatched an equaliser. “In the second half we dominated and played in the opponents’ half and created many chances,” he said.
“I still believed we could do it. We reacted really well. On another day we could have come back. The subs affected the game but sometimes it is too late. It is disappointing. We are usually strong at home. Now you have to go and win away from home.”
City are the first English team to lose four successive Champions League matches, a run that includes last season’s three knockout-stage defeats against Basel and Liverpool.
Bernardo Silva’s second-half strike gave City hope of a fightback, but their inconsistent efforts spluttered out.
Silva admitted City had lacked their usual high tempo and desire. “The first half we were not at our best. We didn’t
press with the same intensity we usually do,” he said.
“They scored two goals, then in the second half we tried to go after the result. We were not good enough. And unfortunately we did not want to start this way in the competition but it is what it is and we have to look to the next games.”