TURIN CLOUD HANGS OVER JOSE’S HEAD
CRISTIANO RONALDO returned to Manchester United to pile fresh miseryonJoseMourinho at Old Trafford.
The Portuguese star, who spent six years at the club before his glittering spell with Real Madrid, set up the decisive goal for Paulo Dybala with the Red Devils unable to find an equaliser.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was afforded a hero’s reception as he left the pitch at the end and showed his class by taking a selfie with a fan who had raced on to the pitch to embrace him.
The scoreline made it appear to be a close game but it was far from it.
United huffed and puffed but it was another painful, damaging defeat for under-fire Mourinho and his players, who were second best all evening.
The frustrated boss said: “We played one of the biggest candidates to win the Champions League.
“Our attacking players, things were not coming off but everyone tried, everyone was strong mentally to try until the end. Juventus felt it and they ended the game with an extra central defender.
“Juventus is a different level of quality. They have a level of quality, stability, experience, know how.
“It was a really difficult match for us. I thought we could take something but it was not possible.”
The night began in
DAVID McDONNELL AT OLD TRAFFORD
farcical fashion, with the United bus stuck in traffic for the second Champions League game running at home, Mourinho jumping out to walk the half mile to the stadium.
The players stayed seated, taking 45 minutes to navigate the short journey, and arrived at Old Trafford at 7.09pm, just 51 minutes before kick-off.
Having been fined by UEFA for arriving late against Valencia, another delay after changing their pre-match venue to a hotel a two-minute walk from the stadium, was simply an embarrassment
Mourinho named an unchanged side, keeping with the same starting line-up that played with such verve at Chelsea, a game they should have won, but for conceding an agonising 96th-minute equaliser to draw 2-2.
After a cagey opening, the visitors soon assumed control and went ahead in the 17th minute.
Ronaldo proved the catalyst with a surging run