After Ronaldo magic, Juventus bid to keep home fires burning at lowly Benevento
>> ROME: After a spectacular loss to Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid, Juventus travel today to meet Benevento, a side from outside Naples propping up the bottom of the Serie A table.
Ronaldo’s two goals — including a stunning overhead bicycle kick — condemned Juventus to a 3-0 home defeat in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Sandwiched in between the quarter-final return leg trip midweek to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium is a first-ever clash at Benevento, who have won just four games in their first top flight season.
It was a bruising week for Italian football with AS Roma conceding two own goals in a 4-1 defeat to Barcelona.
Lazio however eased to a 4-2 home win against Salzburg in the Europa League.
“Now let’s get up quickly,” urged Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri of a season that can still reap his side the Scudetto and the Italian Cup.
“There’s a return to the Barnabeu to prepare, but above all a championship to win, the seventh in a row, which would have the taste of a myth.
“I understand the disappointment. But I find it hard to reproach a team that has tried, against the best in the world.”
Argentine ace Paulo Dybala was also unbowed after his humiliating send-off at Allianz Stadium, where the applause of Juventus fans was reserved for Ronaldo’s spectacular performance.
Benevento are fighting a losing battle for survival as they sit 13 points from safety, despite coming off a 3-0 home win over Verona midweek.
Second-placed Napoli — four points behind Juventus — will need a win at 14th-placed Chievo after being held 1-1 at Sassuolo last weekend if they want to keep their push for their first title since 1990 alive.
AS Roma, in third, host Fiorentina before next Tuesday’s visit by Barcelona to the Stadio Olympico, looking to keep ahead of Inter Milan who are just a point behind in fourth.
Luciano Spalletti’s Inter travel to Torino after their midweek goalless draw against city rivals AC Milan.
Gennaro Gattuso has just penned a new three-year contract with AC Milan worth a reported €2 million (approximately 80 million baht) per year despite the derby draw effectively ending their push for Champions League football next season.
The former seven-time European champions, who are eight points off the Champions League places in sixth, host struggling Sassuolo.