Can’t fault my boys: Juve coach

TURIN: The Juventus stadium broke into applause and Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, once a player of extraordinary gifts himself, looked dumbstruck at the audacity of Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal.

Just when everyone thought the Portuguese had done it all, he produced a strike that was astonishing even by the standards of his remarkable career.

Real were 1-0 ahead and struggling to keep the hosts at bay when Ronaldo, with his back to goal, launched himself into the air to meet Dani Carvajal’s chipped cross with a bicycle kick -- known in Spanish-speaking countries as a “Chilean” -- that flew past dumbfounded Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.

The timing was perfect while the athleticism, worthy of a youngster more than a 33-yearold, ridiculed suggestions that the record-amassing Portugal forward is past his prime.

Real captain Sergio Ramos said the applause from the Juve fans was “the prize of everyone giving him recognition for so many years at this level.”

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri wished his team had found Ronaldo on an off-night. “I can’t fault the lads for anything, we bumped into an extraordinary team and probably the best player in the world,” he said.

“When you play against sides like this, you need a little bit of luck and, more than anything else, to meet Ronaldo on a bad night.”