Ronaldo back in Portugal

PORTO, Portugal (AFP) — 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 giant fighting to keep up with Europe’s most powerful clubs in the Champions League.

On the field Juve is still finding its feet under novice coach Andrea Pirlo but it craves European glory more than anything having lost five Champions League finals since last winning the trophy in 1996.

Off the pitch, meanwhile, its chair Andrea Agnelli is one of the leading figures behind plans to reform the continent’s elite club competition.

I think it is our duty to think ahead and guarantee that football remains the best sport in the world.

Agnelli, also the influential chair of the European Club Association, has long been one of the main backers of a Champions League that 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 45-year-old has given his backing to an expanded Champions League starting from 2024 onwards, guaranteeing more matches and, ultimately, more money.

“I think it is our duty to think ahead and guarantee that football remains the best sport in the world,” Agnelli said recently, as he pondered the challenges of trying to ensure Generation Z doesn’t lose interest in the sport.

“Everything should be based on sporting merit, but we should remember where our fans of the future are. It is our strong view that more European matches are welcome.”