Fresh Ronaldo ready for Ajax

– Cristiano Ronaldo (right) will spearhead Juventus’ old guard as they look to finish the job tonight against Ajax’s impressive young guns in a quarterfinal clash between two sides desperate to end years of Champions League heartbreak.

Juventus have the edge on away goals thanks to Ronaldo’s 125th Champions League goal in a 1-1 draw in Amsterdam, but Ajax’s David Neres ensured the teams will start on a knife-edge in Turin in a repeat of the 1973 and 1996 finals.

Juventus have won the Champions League twice, most recently in 1996 when they beat Ajax in the final.

Four-time winners Ajax won their third consecutive title in 1973 at the expense of Juventus, last lifting the trophy in 1995.

Ronaldo was rested at the weekend along with regulars Leonardo Bonucci, Blaise Matuidi, Alex Sandro, Mario Mandzukic and Miralem Pjanic.

Teenager Moise Kean’s fine form continued with the 19-year-old scoring his sixth goal in as many games.

Captain Giorgio Chiellini, however, remains a doubt with the 34-year-old defender recovering from a calf injury, with Daniele Rugani a possible replacement.

But Ronaldo remains Juve’s key weapon.

The 34-year-old was signed for €100 million last summer, and pocketed an annual €31m salary to help Juventus win a competition they have finished runners-up to in a record seven times, most recently in 2015 and 2017.

Ronaldo has played a leading role in all of his five previous European triumphs, including with the tie-clinching, 97th-minute penalty for Real Madrid against Juventus last season in the quarters.

He has scored five goals this campaign, one against Manchester United and a hat-trick which rescued Juventus in the last-16, second leg against Atletico, before returning from injury to score against Ajax.

The financial clout of Dutch league leaders Ajax is significantly less than Juventus.

The club, who are captained by 19-year-old defender Matthijs de Ligt, spent a reported club-record €45m last summer on new signings to bolster their Champions League hopes.

Defensive midfielder Daley Blind arrived from Manchester United, and forward Dusan Tadic from Southampton, to provide leadership for a young squad where the average age is 24 years.

Ajax’s strike-force of 22-year-old Neres, Dusan Tadic and Hakim Ziyech have proven very effective this season.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, 35, also hit form with a hattrick in a 6-2 win over Excelsior in the Dutch league at the weekend. –