5 reasons why Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Juventus has been a failure
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the biggest names in world football. Arguably one of the best players to ever set foot on a football pitch, Ronaldo boasts a resume that is truly extraordinary.
Ronaldo signed with Italian giants Juventus in 2018 for a reported £85 million and has broken several records with the Old Lady. Famed for his goalscoring prowess, Ronaldo hit the ground running in Italy, and in his three seasons with the Turin outfit, he has definitely been impressive.
However, despite his multiple records and achievements, there is a perception that Ronaldo's move to Juventus has been a failure. Ronaldo could well be his own worst enemy; it appears that he has set the bar too high with his staggering exploits at Manchester United and Real Madrid.
On that note, let's take a look at five reasons why Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Juventus has been a failure.
#5 Cristiano Ronaldo tends to slow down Juventus' natural tempo
Cristiano Ronaldo's goalscoring ability can only be described as phenomenal. One of the most talented attackers in history, Ronaldo is the only player in Juventus' history to score in ten consecutive games.
While there is no doubt about his ability to score goals, it is a common perception that Ronaldo slows down the tempo of Juventus' natural gameplay. Juventus were known for their fluid football and their intricate link-up play, but now it appears that Ronaldo has become their main outlet for goals.
As a result, the ball often goes to Ronaldo even if another player is in a better scoring position. Cristiano Ronaldo remains a sublime goalscorer; but it has to be said that his shot conversion ratio is below average.
Ronaldo averages 5.1 shots per game in Serie A while scoring only 0.93, meaning a conversion ratio of a meagre 18%. While his shot output is big enough to get him excellent numbers, it does inhibit his team's link-up play.
#4 Cristiano Ronaldo failed to help Juventus retain their Serie A title in 2020-21
Juventus had won the Serie A for nine consecutive seasons, doing so between 2010-11 and 2019-20. Even though Cristiano Ronaldo was a part of the Bianconeri's last two triumphs in this period, he failed to help the team retain the Serie A title last campaign.
Andrea Pirlo was appointed the Juventus manager in July 2020. Fresh off their ninth straight league win, it seemed very likely the Old Lady would retain their Serie A stranglehold. Despite his managerial inexperience, it can be argued that Pirlo still had the squad to win the Scudetto.
Pirlo made an excellent start to his tenure, becoming only the third manager in Juventus history to win their first away game. His overdependence on Cristiano Ronaldo proved to be a pitfall, though, as he opted to trust his goalscoring ability over prioritising team-based football.
Despite not winning the Capocannoniere in his first two seasons in Italy, Cristiano Ronaldo achieved the same last season. He led the 2020-21 Serie A scoring charts, but Juventus fell well short of defending their league title.
Ronaldo was predominantly signed to help Juventus challenge in Europe, as it was almost a given that they would not falter on the domestic front. However, last season, not only did they fail to challenge in Europe, but they also failed to win the Serie A for the first time in ten years.