Ronaldo bids fond farewell to outgoing Juventus coach Allegri

TURIN: He’s only been in Italy for a single season, but Cristiano Ronaldo has already left his mark, winning the Serie A Player of the Year award.

According to Goal, Ronaldo will be recognised for the award before the game against Atalanta in a late match yesterday.

Normally, the Serie A individual awards are handed out at the end of the season. Juventus currently have two games left, although they have already wrapped up the title.

Ronaldo scored 21 goals in 30 league matches, picking up eight assists for Juventus this season. The Portuguese also picked up six goals in the Champions League, and a goal in the Supercoppa Italiana.

It is the first time a player has picked up the equivalent award in England, Spain, and Italy.

Ahead of the announcement, Ronaldo took to Twitter on Saturday to wish Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri a fond farewell.

The head coach will be leaving the club before the start of next season in a decision Juventus president Andrea Agnelli said was “the toughest decision he has ever had to make.”

Ronaldo wrote: “Thank you Mister! We lived a single year together but it was awesome because besides being a great coach you are a great man. It’s been a pleasure working with you!”

Allegri won the league every year since joining Juventus for the start of the 2014 season. They also won four Coppa Italia trophies and two Supercoppas in that time.

However, they have been less successful in the Champions League. Since 2014 they’ve been runners-up twice, been knocked out in the quarter-finals twice, including this year, and were knocked out in the round of 16 in 2016.

The other Serie A player awards have reportedly gone to Inter Milan’s Samir Handanovic for Goalkeeper of the Year, while Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly won Defender of the Year.

Lazio’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic won Midfielder of the Year, Sampdoria’s Fabio Quagliarella won Striker of the Year, while Nicolo Zaniola of Roma won Young Talent of the Year.