Yahoo News Reinvigorated Cristiano Ronaldo has chance to grab a Clarence Seedorf Champions League ‘treble’
Despite what his age-defying chiselled physique and logic-defying statistical returns would encourage you to believe, Cristiano Ronaldo could not go on at Real Madrid for ever.
Such is the 33-year-old’s manner, he was never likely to disappear quietly either. A return to Manchester United was mooted for years, but instead he pitched up at Juventus, a club who have suffered more than most in this era of Real’s Champions League dominance.
The competition returns this evening with both Ronaldo and Real aiming to prove they are better off apart.
Juventus, beaten in the 2015 and 2017 finals, identified Ronaldo as the missing piece still capable of hauling a team over the line, leading from the front by example, bravado and sheer force of will.
It will probably not be lost on Ronaldo that only Clarence Seedorf has won the Champions League with three teams - Ajax, Real and AC Milan. Individual targets like that have always enthused him. A tricky group including Valencia and Young Boys is completed by a homecoming of sorts to United, although not the permanent one many anticipated.
Juventus were, therefore, something of a surprise destination, as was the timing, given rumours of a fraught relationship with Real president Florentino Perez were nothing new. Together, they established themselves at the summit of European football, winning four of the last five Champions League finals and three on the bounce with a 3-1 victory over Liverpool in May.
In Pictures | Real Madrid vs Liverpool, Champions League Final 2018
In Pictures | Real Madrid vs Liverpool, Champions League Final 2018
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Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos kicks the ball during a training session in the open media day at the team's Veldebebas training ground in Madrid, Tuesday, May 22, 2018. Real Madrid will play the Champions League final soccer match against Liverpool in Kiev on Saturday May 26. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Francisco Seco
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Real Madrid's French coach Zinedine Zidane and his players attend a training session during Real Madrid's Media Open Day ahead of their UEFA Champions league final footbal match against Liverpool FC, in Madrid on May 22, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYSGABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images GABRIEL BOUYS
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Real Madrid's Brazilian defender Marcelo (C) attends a training session during Real Madrid's Media Open Day ahead of their UEFA Champions league final footbal match against Liverpool FC, in Madrid on May 22, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYSGABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images GABRIEL BOUYS
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Real Madrid's French coach Zinedine Zidane and his players attend a training session during Real Madrid's Media Open Day ahead of their UEFA Champions league final footbal match against Liverpool FC, in Madrid on May 22, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYSGABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images GABRIEL BOUYS
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Real Madrid's Marcelo, left, vies for the ball with Jose Luis Fernandez "Nacho" during a training session in the open media day at the team's Veldebebas training ground in Madrid, Tuesday, May 22, 2018. Real Madrid will play the Champions League final match against Liverpool on Saturday 26. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Francisco Seco
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Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo kicks the ball during a training in the open media day at the team's Veldebebas training ground in Madrid, Tuesday, May 22, 2018. Real Madrid will play the Champions League final soccer match against Liverpool on Saturday May 26. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Francisco Seco
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Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo attends a training session during Real Madrid's Media Open Day ahead of their UEFA Champions league final footbal match against Liverpool FC, in Madrid on May 22, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYSGABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images GABRIEL BOUYS
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Real Madrid players warm up during a training in the open media day at the team's Veldebebas training ground in Madrid, Tuesday, May 22, 2018. Real Madrid will play the Champions League final soccer match against Liverpool in Kiev on Saturday May 26. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Francisco Seco
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Real Madrid's Gareth Bale during training
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Real Madrid's Gareth Bale kicks the ball during a training in the open media day at the team's Veldebebas training ground in Madrid, Tuesday, May 22, 2018.
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(L-R) Real Madrid's Welsh forward Gareth Bale, French defender Raphael Varane and Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo in training.
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(L-R) Real Madrid's Croatian midfielder Luka Modric, Real Madrid's French coach Zinedine Zidane, Italian assistant coach David Bettoni, Real Madrid's Brazilian defender Marcelo and Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo in training.
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Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane.
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Soccer Football - Champions League - Real Madrid Training - Real Madrid City, Madrid, Spain - May 22, 2018 Real Madrid's Raphael Varane and Nacho during training REUTERS/Sergio Perez SERGIO PEREZ
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Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (R) and Real Madrid's French coach Zinedine Zidane attend a training session during Real Madrid's Media Open Day ahead of their UEFA Champions league final footbal match against Liverpool FC, in Madrid on May 22, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYSGABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images GABRIEL BOUYS
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Soccer Football - Champions League - Real Madrid Training - Real Madrid City, Madrid, Spain - May 22, 2018 Real Madrid's Gareth Bale during training REUTERS/Sergio Perez SERGIO PEREZ
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(L-R) Real Madrid's Italian assistant coach David Bettoni, French forward Karim Benzema, Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo, French defender Raphael Varane and Croatian midfielder Luka Modric attend a training session during Real Madrid's Media Open Day ahead of their UEFA Champions league final footbal match against Liverpool FC, in Madrid on May 22, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYSGABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images GABRIEL BOUYS
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Real Madrid's Brazilian midfielder Casemiro piggybacks Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (top) as they attend a training session during Real Madrid's Media Open Day ahead of their UEFA Champions league final footbal match against Liverpool FC, in Madrid on May 22, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYSGABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images GABRIEL BOUYS
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Real Madrid's French coach Zinedine Zidane (C) attends a training session during Real Madrid's Media Open Day ahead of their UEFA Champions league final footbal match against Liverpool FC, in Madrid on May 22, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYSGABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images GABRIEL BOUYS
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Real Madrid players Marcelo (C) and Nacho (R) perform during their team's training session held on the 'Open Media Day' ahead of the UEFA Champions League final in Madrid, Spain, 22 May 2018. Real Madrid will face Liverpool FC in the 2018 UEFA Champions League final at the NSC Olimpiyskiy stadium in Kiev, Ukraine, on 26 May 2018. EPA/JUAN CARLOS HIDALGO JUAN CARLOS HIDALGO
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Real Madrid's French head coach Zinedine Zidane (C) gives instructions to his players during their team's training session held on the 'Open Media Day' ahead of the UEFA Champions League final in Madrid, Spain, 22 May 2018. Real Madrid will face Liverpool FC in the 2018 UEFA Champions League final at the NSC Olimpiyskiy stadium in Kiev, Ukraine, on 26 May 2018. EPA/JUAN CARLOS HIDALGO JUAN CARLOS HIDALGO
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Gareth Bale must now take centre stage after years in Ronaldo’s shadow. The Welshman has a headstart in fulfilling that responsibility after scoring a magical overhead kick against Liverpool to swing the match in Real’s favour.
Roma, CSKA Moscow and Viktoria Plzen provide the first test of Bale and Real under new coach Julen Lopetegui, who also has to show he was worth all the fuss of wrecking Spain’s World Cup bid before it began, as his move to replace Zinedine Zidane at the Bernabeu was mishandled.
Real look more vulnerable to challengers than in recent years but, as ever, Barcelona will probably feel best placed to capitalise. Lionel Messi is 20 short of Ronaldo’s competition scoring record — the Portuguese has a quite ludicrous 120 goals to his name — but he has played a key role (four goals, three assists) in Barca winning their opening five matches, confirming he is primed to spearhead another challenge. Arguably the toughest group awaits them, however, with Tottenham, Inter Milan and PSV Eindhoven making up the quartet.
In Pictures | Cristiano Ronaldo arrives in Turin
In Pictures | Cristiano Ronaldo arrives in Turin
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Ronaldo salutes his fans as he arrives to undergo medical checks at the Juventus stadium in Turin, Italy
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With powerhouses Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid renewing their assaults, what of the English challenge? The next step in Manchester City’s evolution is to translate their domestic superiority into European glory.
Liverpool begin a difficult group stage by hosting PSG and the task of going one better than last season may, at some stage, be complicated by a burgeoning belief they could win their first domestic title since 1990.
United and Tottenham need to overcome concerns raised by early domestic disappointments. Both teams need their big players to step up — as Ronaldo continues to try to set the benchmark they all must reach.
