Cristiano Ronaldo: How will he fit in at Juventus?
It has been the biggest transfer story of the past five years. After nine seasons, 438 games and 450 goals at the most successful club in world football, Cristiano Ronaldo made the switch from Madrid to Turin, to join the giants of Italian football, Juventus.
The fee was in excess of £100 million - an astronomical figure for a 33-year-old. However, this is Cristiano Ronaldo, who many regard to be the greatest of all time. But how will the Portuguese legend fit in?
How was he deployed at Real Madrid?
For the majority of his career at Los Blancos, Ronaldo played on the left of a front three in a 4-3-3 formation, relying on his blinding acceleration and power to cut in from the left onto his stronger right foot.
However, in his last two seasons in Spain, Zinedine Zidane used him to great effect as a striker. Whilst maintaining all his traits that made him a world class winger, he used his excellent awareness of the game to adopt positions in the box where his goal threat could be maximized.
Both for Real Madrid and for Portugal in the World Cup, Ronaldo played with another striker alongside him; Benzema for Madrid and Guedes for the national time. Both of his attacking partners helped to take the strain off him of having to do all the running.
Guedes was a heavy presser, constantly pestering opposition defenses in order to create some space for Ronaldo. Benzema would tend to drop off from Ronaldo in an attempt to link play towards him.
For all his greatness, it is important that we remember that Cristiano Ronaldo is 33-years-old. Whilst it has been claimed he still has the fitness of a 20-year-old, it is likely that his muscles feel slightly older. As a result, Juventus will have to manage his play style very carefully.
How can Juventus best make use of his greatness?
Massimiliano Allegri has deployed his favoured 4-2-3-1 system at Juventus for a while now. Liking to use pacey wingers in Douglas Costa and Juan Cuadrado, he has often utilised Paulo Dybala behind Gonzalo Higuain in the main striker's role.
Ronaldo could play on the wings, as he has done in the past, but Allegri demands hard work from his players on the flank, bombing up and down the wing not only to attack, but to also track back and aid the defence.
That leaves one position, and the player previously at that position has performed impressively over the last two years. Gonzalo Higuain is a world class striker who has had a fantastic goalscoring record over the last five years.
However, with a move to AC Milan being touted by many media outlets, it looks as though the Argentine will be on his way out of Juventus. That leaves space for a certain Portuguese legend to replace him.
Whilst Ronaldo has been better utilized playing alongside another forward player, in Paolo Dybala he has a player that can play anywhere across the attacking line. He has the capability of playing as a straightforward number 10, whilst also being able to maraud around the pitch, drifting out wide whenever he needs to.
Dybala could be the attacking partner that Ronaldo needs to maximise his potential at Juventus.
Could Allegri change their system to benefit Ronaldo?
As I have already mentioned, Ronaldo requires an attacking partner to play to his best. If Allegri sees Ronaldo as the figurehead to his team (which he should), then it is possible a formation change could be on the cards.
Juventus have a host of outstanding midfield talent, headlined by Blaise Matuidi and Miralem Pjanic. Add to those two Sami Khedira, Claudio Marchisio, new signing Emre Can and Stefano Sturaro, it is easy to see the plethora of options that Allegri has at his disposal.
Using three of these players in a midfield three in a 4-3-1-2 formation, with Dybala playing in his number 10 role would leave Ronaldo with a partner up front. That man could be Higuain, should he stay, or the Croatian stalwart Mario Mandzukic.
It will likely take a little time before we see exactly how Ronaldo will be best deployed in the Juventus formation. Whether it's Dybala, Higuain, Mandzukic or someone else that plays alongside the Portuguese superstar, we may not see the very best of Ronaldo for a few months at least.
However, this is Ronaldo. He is unlike normal players, because he is anything but normal. His extraordinary talents have catapulted him to this superstar status, so it would come as no surprise if he picks up from exactly where he left off in Madrid.
