Cristiano’s night to forget! First Ronaldo sees Aaron Ramsey ‘steal’ his record-breaking goal as free-kick crosses the line… then he fumes at manager Maurizio Sarri after being taken off in Champions League clash at Lokomotiv Moscow
Juventus may have qualified for the Champions League last 16 but for Cristiano Ronaldo; Wednesday night proved to be one of personal frustration.
The Italian giants secured a place in the knockout rounds of the competition with a 2-1 win at Lokomotiv Moscow.
Second-half substitute Douglas Costa was the Old Lady’s matchwinner in injury time, with Ronaldo just a spectator after being substituted in the closing stages of the match.
Cristiano Ronaldo endured a frustrating night during Juventus’ win over Lokomotiv Moscow
Ronaldo appeared unhappy at being substituted on 82 minutes – with the scoreline 1-1
He signalled with two fingers something that had annoyed him to manager Maurizio Sarri
The talisman was hooked off by manager Maurizio Sarri on 82 minutes with Paulo Dybala coming on in his place.
Sarri’s decision was much to Ronaldo’s apparent displeasure with the scoreline balanced at 1-1.
As he walked towards the touchline, the 34-year-old walked straight past Sarri before having a word with his manager.
As he continued to walk the Portuguese forward then turned and signalled with two fingers something that had annoyed him.
It was the first time Ronaldo had been substituted under Sarri and only the third time in his Juventus career since joining from Real Madrid in the summer of 2018.
It was the first time that the 34-year-old talisman had been substituted by Sarri this season
Speaking after the match, Sarri was quick to dismiss any notion of his No 7 being angry at him – insisting his frustration was at not being fully fit due to a knee and adductor problem.
‘It was because he was not very well,’ the Italian told Sky Sports.
‘For a few days he has had a little problem in one knee and an adductor, which makes him tired.
‘At the end of the first half he was nervous about it. Then, when I saw him make a movement I didn’t like, when he was accelerating I took him off because I was scared that he might do himself real harm.’
The substitution capped things off for Ronaldo who had earlier seen a goal of his ‘stolen’ by team-mate Aaron Ramsey.
Post-match Sarri said that Ronaldo had been struggling with a knee and adductor complaint
Ronaldo was looking to surpass a record he shares with Real legend Raul and Barcelona star Lionel Messi by scoring against a 34th different club in the competition.
He looked to have done that on three minutes when he fired a free-kick from the left-hand side that Lokomotiv goalkeeper Guilherme let slip through his hands.
As it rolled over the line, Ramsey poked it into the net with UEFA eventually crediting him as the goalscorer.
During the confusion over the celebrations, Ronaldo raised a smile but wouldn’t have been happy at seeing a goal ‘taken’ away from him.
Ronaldo thought he had given Juve the lead on three minutes with this long-range free-kick
Lokomotiv goalkeeper Guilherme spilled Ronaldo’s free-kick through his legs
Guilherme desperately tries to recover as Aaron Ramsey runs in to make sure it was a goal
Ronaldo didn’t look best pleased once he realised that his goalbound effort was ‘stolen’
The forward raises a smile thinking it was his goal before Ramsey was credited with it by UEFA
‘I thought the keeper was a lot closer to me and had a chance of diving back and maybe clearing it,’ Ramsey said post-match.
‘My instinct took over to make sure that it went over the line. I’ve apologised to Cristiano.’
Ramsey’s goal was his second for Juventus since joining from Arsenal on a free this summer. It was also Juve’s 300th Champions League goal.