Porto (Portugal) (AFP)

Cristiano Ronaldo missed the Champions League final last summer at home in Portugal after Juventus were eliminated against Lyon.

The trip to Porto, Wednesday in the round of 16 first leg, is an opportunity to get off on the right foot.

"This is the Champions League: knockout matches. It's almost as if a new competition is starting," said the Portuguese star in a message to his more than 262 million followers on Instagram.

For Ronaldo, Porto in C1 is a bad memory: an elimination in 2004 with Manchester United, already in the eighth.

But it is another, unforgettable, in April 2009, still with Manchester.

The Red Devils are then back to the wall after a draw at home (2-2) in the first leg.

Freshly crowned with the first Ballon d'Or of his career, Ronaldo scored the only goal with a strike from 30 meters.

This jewel will be worth to him the very first price "Puskas" of Fifa rewarding the most beautiful goal of the year.

Twelve years later, it is for the first time with the bianconero jersey that he finds Portugal, in a stadium where he notably conquered the League of Nations in 2019 with the Portuguese selection.

The Champions League is by far the supreme competition for Ronaldo who has won it five times (once with Manchester, four with Real).

- Account to settle -

But the Portuguese star, and Juventus with him, have a score to settle with this C1 after the setback last season in the round of 16 against Lyon (0-1, 2-1), following that in the quarterfinals the previous year against Ajax Amsterdam (1-1, 1-2).

The Bianconeri have not lifted the prestigious cup for 25 years, remaining on five finals lost since their second and last success in 1996.

"These last two years, we came home earlier than expected (...). Tomorrow, I hope it will be the start of a long march to the final," observes Ronaldo.

If it is favorite after finishing at the top of its group thanks to its beautiful victory in December in Barcelona (3-0), Juventus must be wary of a Portuguese team which has as many Champions League as it has on the charts.

In the group stage, the Dragons were particularly tight, going five matches without taking a goal (4 wins, one draw) after the initial defeat against Manchester City (1-3).

Turin coach Andrea Pirlo also called for "patience" against this compact team, able to come out quickly against.

- Ronaldo vs. Pepe -

Ronaldo, 36, the only scorer for Juve in knockout matches in the last two seasons (7 goals in 6 matches), will meet an old acquaintance against him: Pepe, 37, his partner in the national team and for eight years at Real Madrid (2009-2017).

A rarity, because the two friends only met twice as adversaries, at the very beginning of their careers during the 2002-2003 Portuguese Championship.

Cristiano was playing at Sporting Lisbon and Pepe at Maritimo.

In the absence of the precious Juan Cuadrado (thigh) and Paulo Dybala, still in the recovery phase, Juventus will still depend greatly on the flashes of his star.

Because when he remains silent, the Old Lady often struggles, even when she dominates, like Saturday in Naples (1-0 loss).

"We know that at any time, Cristiano Ronaldo can decide the match. (...) In front of him it is necessary to be compact, to limit the spaces to him", is wary the coach of Porto Sergio Conceiçao.

It will take at least that to slow down CR7 in his favorite competition, where he still has a record to achieve: in case of qualification, the top scorer in the history of C1 (134 goals) can also become the player who has played the most. of matches (174 today, against 177 for Iker Casillas).

© 2021 AFP