Porto test awaits Ronaldo’s Juve
Porto, Portugal, Feb. 16: Cristiano Ronaldo returns to his native Portugal for the first time as a Juventus player as his side face Porto on Wednesday with the Italian giants fighting to keep up with Europe’s most powerful clubs in the Champions League.
On the field Juve are still finding their feet under novice coach Andrea Pirlo but they crave European glory more than anything having lost five Champions League finals since last winning the trophy in 1996.
Off the pitch, meanwhile, their chairman Andrea Agnelli is one of the leading figures behind plans to reform the continent’s elite club competition.
Agnelli has long been one of the main backers of a Champions League which guarantees access to an elite few and makes it harder for other clubs to gain entry.
Amid talk of a breakaway Super League which would undoubtedly feature his club, Italy’s richest and most successful, the 45year-old has given his backing to an expanded Champions League starting from 2024 onwards, guaranteeing more matches and, ultimately, more money.
Juventus have dominated Serie A for the last decade without managing to win the Champions League. Porto, meanwhile, are the only club from outside the so-called ‘Big Five’ leagues in this season’s last 16. Both are two-time European Cup winners.
For the Turin side, success in Europe this season appears even more important as their domestic domination shows signs of faltering under Pirlo with hopes of a 10th consecutive Scudetto in peril.
Juve’s hopes will be on five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo and the Champions League record goal-scorer with 134 goals to deliver them the trophy.
WERNER ENDS GOAL DROUGHT AS BLUES WIN
Timo Werner ended his Premier League goal drought as the Chelsea forward sealed a 2-0 win against Newcastle that lifted the Blues into fourth place on Monday.
Werner netted late in the first half at Stamford Bridge after setting up Olivier Giroud’s opener for Thomas Tuchel’s revitalised team.
It was a cathartic moment for Werner, who had gone 14 league games without a goal since scoring against Sheffield United in November.