Juventus match, goal by Cristiano Ronaldo. By routine it does not stop being overwhelming. CR7 does not give up in its efforts to get one of the few missing trophies, that of capocanonniere del Calcio and the clash against Hellas Verona marked another step in his career with Lukaku. The Portuguese opened the scoring after a great move by Chiesa inside the area. Shot out of reach for Silvestri, the 19th goal of the season in Serie A (two ahead of his namesake Inter) and number 47 in the last 47 games. It was not the best of their games, but as 'La Gazzetta dello Sport' recounts, “the goal that overtakes Juventus is always theirs: essential”. However, he was too lonely.
Despite so much, CR7 did not come out especially happy with the Marcantonio Bentegodi because above all else he is a winner and the Vecchia Signora saw how Barak put the final 1-1 final at the equator of the second half. Much stumble in a team designed to crush Serie A, which has been in command since 2011-12, thanks to its nine Scudetti in a row. But after the umpteenth setback of the season, Inter is already seven points behind, which could be ten if he wins this Sunday at Genoa.
Without Morata, he goes down for having contracted the cytomegalovirus, the '7' also does not have Dybala, injured. Not even with an Arthur, also touched, who is the midfielder who connects more easily with the attack front bianconero. His companions, Kulusevski and Chiesa, although they do not clash, especially the second who was one of the best in the clash, they do not absorb the offensive weight as the Spanish striker (second top scorer of the team with 13 goals) or the Argentine midfielder do. This left Cristiano alone against the defensive network led by a confident and forceful Magnani. Still, the attacker tried, but his seven shots, four were blocked by the rival defense, as he collects SofaScore. A good example of how accompanied he was all night, even though his company was the rival defense …
Cristiano's frustration: “Let play a little, don't always whistle”
Ivan Juric raised a tough Italian crash, with multiple interruptions that unhinged, especially in the first half, to Cristiano, as it was possible to verify in the rest. On the way to the vetuaries, CR7 turned to Fabio Maresca, referee of the match, tired of the incessant stoppages of play. “Let play a little more, don't always whistle,” said a Christian visibly upset with the future of the match, by then tied at zero. Just three minutes after the snack he exploded with joy with the goal, but as the minutes passed, both the Portuguese star and Juventus faded again, leading to a final draw that was of little use to Andrea Pirlo's team.
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrating the goal for Verona. A happiness that did not last long …
ISABELLA BONOTTO (AFP)
After the meeting, Magnani, Cristiano's particular nemesis this Saturday, acknowledged that the interruptions were perhaps excessive: “We commented that the game stopped too often”. Of course, it perfectly defined the clash made by the Gialloblu: “A tough game, complicated, divided and played with a competitive spirit.” The final joy of the center-back reflected the feeling of having done a good job, a feeling opposite to that of a Ronaldo who left in a rage after being too alone …