Ronaldo carries Juve hopes against Atletico
Juventus’ Champions League hopes are hanging on Cristiano Ronaldo pulling off another sensational comeback as the Italians trail 2-0 to defensive specialists Atletico Madrid going into the last 16, second-leg tie in Turin today.
“We didn’t expect to lose the first leg 2-0, but anything can happen, and we want to give a great response in our home, in front of our fans,” Ronaldo told Juventus TV ahead of the game in the Allianz Stadium.
“These are the great nights, the fantastic ones: the Champions League nights,” he continued.
“The team is confident of playing a great game and I am too. To the fans I say: think positive, let’s believe.
The seven-time reigning Italian champions bought Ronaldo last summer from Real Madrid for 100 million euros to end their Champions League heartbreak going back 23 years.
The 34-year-old’s stunning overhead kick for Real in the quarterfinals in Turin last April had dumped Juventus out of the tournament once again.
Expectations are high that he can reproduce his improbable hat-trick which lifted Real Madrid past Wolfsburg in April 2016 with the Spaniards 2-0 down to the Germans after the first leg.
Juventus have come from behind in the elite European competition eight times – including in the 1996 quarterfinals against Real Madrid on their way to winning the title.
They also lifted the European trophy in 1985, but have finished runnersup five times since their last success, including twice in the past four years.