Untouchable Ronaldo cuts Juve to shreds as Madrid go on Real romp
FORTY thousand in Turin held their breath as Cristiano Ronaldo sprang into the air and prepared for acrobatics. Everyone knew the discipline he was about to attempt came with a high degree of difficulty but few doubted him. Ronaldo performed a perfectly executed scissor-kick and directed the cross from Dani Carvajal past the stricken figure of Gigi Buffon. It put Madrid 2-0 up, well on their way to the last four of a competition they have won for the last two years. Forty thousand in Turin climbed to their feet. It was just a ripple at first, and then they applauded. They didn’t like it, but the Juventus faithful were prepared to acknowledge a genius at work. Another crucial game, another goal, another Champions League record for Ronaldo and he is not about to become bored. Last night, he pocketed a valuable away goal within three minutes of the kick-off and added the remarkable acrobatic second. From Cardiff to Turin he has led Real Madrid in pursuit of another European title. Another will take his personal record to five, which would put him level with four others and only one behind Paco Gento on six. Do not discount it. He is 33 but Ronaldo is getting better, certainly more influential. His brilliant second knocked the stuffing out of Juventus, who were soon reduced to 10 men when Pablo Dybala collected a second yellow card. Marcelo added the third. Then it had a feel of 10 months ago in Cardiff. Real selected the same team who started against Juventus in that final. This meant no place in the starting line-up for Gareth Bale, despite two goals in a 3-0 win at Las Palmas on Saturday. Zidane’s faith in Isco in the playmaker’s role was well placed, however, and the tie was less than three minutes old when he created the opening goal. Isco danced into the penalty area from the left and Ronaldo made his move. With an injection of pace,
Ronaldo eased across the Juventus centre halves and stabbed at Isco’s low cross, sending the ball whistling past Buffon. By the time Dybala was sent off, Ronaldo (pictured) had delivered his second and the race was all but run for the Italian champions. Real captain Ramos will miss the second leg after a collecting a yellow card — it won’t matter.
JUVENTUS: Buffon, De Sciglio, Barzagli, Chiellini, Asamoah (Mandzukic 68), Douglas Costa (Matuidi 69), Khedira (Cuadrado 76), Bentancur, Alex Sandro, Dybala, Higuain. Sent off: Dybala (66).
REAL MADRID: Navas, Carvajal, Sergio Ramos, Varane, Marcelo, Modric (Kovacic 82), Kroos, Casemiro, Isco (Asensio 76), Benzema (Lucas 59), Ronaldo. Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey).