On Friday evening, Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo was just around the corner from repeating the scenario of last season and leading Juventus to the quarter-finals of the European Champions League, but his personal effort was not enough this time to carry the "old lady" to Lisbon in order to compete in the mini-tournament. .
Juventus' campaign ended Friday evening at the final price, despite its victory over its French host Lyon 2-1 behind closed doors, due to a loss suffered several months ago in the opponent's stadium before the decision to suspend competitions due to the emerging Corona virus.
Juventus lost the first leg, 0-1, on February 26, before suspending the season, and began the second leg late with a penalty kick by the Dutchman Memphis Depay (12), but he returned to the air thanks to a brace for the Portuguese star without succeeding in the end to book his card to Lisbon.
Juventus thus failed to repeat the achievement of last season when it lost in the first leg of the final also against Atlético de Madrid, 0-2, and then won back home 3-0 thanks to a hat-trick by Ronaldo, who left Friday night at the Allianz Stadium, bending the head, realizing that winning a title The most prestigious competition for the sixth time in his career, and the first shirt for the Italian team, has become elusive, especially since he is thirty-five years old.
The former Manchester United star and Real Madrid, Spain, and the best scorer in the history of the continental competition, had the right to succeed and his team in overcoming Lyon and competing in the mini-tournament (quarter-finals and semi-finals of one match) in his hometown Portugal, but he will now only travel to Lisbon, where He started his professional career with Sporting, probably for the summer vacation, instead of facing Manchester City, who excluded his former team, Real Madrid, by beating them 2-1 forward (2-1 back also).
A year and three months after the disappointment of the quarter-final exit at the hands of Ajax after falling in Turin 1-2 round (1-1 round), Ronaldo returned and tested Friday a new continental disappointment with Juventus, who reached him in the summer of 2018, which will not be compensated at all by the victory. The local league title for the ninth consecutive season.
It can be said without hesitation that Ronaldo, who on Friday became the third player in the history of the competition to score against the same opponent with three different teams, did not receive enough support on Friday evening, with Argentine Paulo Dybala sitting on the bench due to an injury to his left thigh that was renewed after a few minutes. On entering it late in the encounter.
Certainly, being content with winning the domestic league title again does not live up to the ambition of Ronaldo and the fans of Juventus, despite the statement made by central defender Leonardo Bonucci after the meeting, who said that the main goal was achieved this season by winning the "Scudetto".