Cristiano Ronaldo: A disappointing season despite Serie A triumph.
What's the story?
Juventus suffered a major disappointment in the Champions League this year, getting knocked out of the tournament in the quarterfinal round to AFC Ajax.
Cristiano Ronaldo will not feature in the Champions League semi-final for the first time since 2010.
In case you didn't know...
The Bianconeri were the favorites to lift the trophy at the season's beginning. Cristiano Ronaldo helped his side overturn a two-goal deficit against Atletico Madrid in the round of 16 at Allianz Stadium and looked set bring home their third Champions League title.
Cristiano won three consecutive UCL titles at Real Madrid, and Juventus hired him in the summer to consolidate their position as one of Europe's best. The Italian giants are dominant domestically, winning eight league titles on the trot.
The Old Lady hoped that the five-time Ballon d'Or winner would provide the missing edge to their squad to win European titles, but that was not the case i this season.
The heart of the matter...
Cristiano Ronaldo's debut season for the Zebre is a success, racking up 26 goals and 13 assists. The 34-year old has created history after his Serie A achievement, becoming first player to win a league title in England, Spain, and Italy. It is an impressive accomplishment, given his age and first season in a new league.
Given Ronaldo's ascendancy over the Champions League for past few years, winning four titles in last five editions, he anticipated to run deep into the tournament again with his Italian side.
The Juve attacker condemned his side's effort in the home leg against AFC Ajax and seemed to gesture inappropriately after the match concluded. CR7's action was out of frustration, and knowing that his counterpart, Lionel Messi now has a very high chance of clinching the trophy.
The primary reason Ronaldo came to Juventus was their potential of winning the CL. Bowing out of the European competition at an early stage has surely made the Madeira born's season average.
Lionel Messi's Champions League success will help him regain the Ballon d'Or, and given Cristiano's fixation with personal awards, it's sure to pile up the misery on him.
Jose Mourinho, Ronaldo's manager for three seasons at Real Madrid, also asserted that Lionel Messi would sweep up the Ballon d'Or this time. He admitted this while talking to Russia Today, saying:
“Messi is experiencing a fantastic season. Now that Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus has been eliminated from the Champions, the Golden Ball is waiting only for the Argentine."
What's next?
Juventus play against Inter Milan on Saturday evening and will try to end their season on a high. Internazionale are fighting for the top-4 spot, which makes this encounter an exciting one to watch.