Cristiano Ronaldo is doing Juventus more harm than good and has created a 'big problem' for coach Andrea Pirlo, according to former Italy hero Antonio Cassano.
The Serie A champions are enduring a difficult season with Ronaldo at the heart of the team - they sit 10 points off the pace of the leaders in Serie A and were recently knocked out of the Champions League by Porto.
Ronaldo was brought in to win them trophies but if anything the team have gone backwards, and Cassano believes that the five-time Ballon d'Or winner is right at the heart of their issues.
'Juventus got rid of a coach [Massimiliano Allegri] who, in the last 20 or 30 years, has produced the best football in Italy and his big problem was one: Cristiano Ronaldo. It was for [Maurizio] Sarri and it is for Pirlo,' the former Real Madrid and Italy striker said on Christian Vieri's Twitch channel Bobo TV.
'Juve already got burned last year, because Sarri was unable to find the right chemistry with him and some other players and what do you do? You take another coach who would like to play football and you still have Cristiano Ronaldo as a blocker for that.
'If you have chosen the path of [playing a certain type of] football, Ronaldo is not good. He is someone you have to give the ball to and he scores, thinking about his records. Ronaldo is not what he was four years ago.
'They signed him to win the Champions League and they failed. Pirlo, as a coach, is a rookie and he hasn't got the experience to handle the player with the highest media profile in the world on his team because he can create problems for you.
'[Dejan] Kulusevski, for example, is very conditioned by Ronaldo, he is not free, he is always looking for him. If you have young people without a strong mentality then problems arise.'
As it stands in Serie A, Inter Milan are clear of their city rivals AC Milan at the top of the table, with Juve languishing back in third place.
It looks to be a disappointing campaign for the reigning champions, whose only realistic chance of a trophy will come against Atalanta in the Coppa Italia final in April.
Abdoul91sSowe
412
Casano need to see his name on All football news for the rest of his life.
Pepedino
382
CR7 JR AT YOUTH LEVEL HAS MORE CAREER GOALS AND TROPHY THAN CASSANO
MUSTAQUE11
290
Cassano was a great player for Italy.I supported Italy besides Spain in euro 2012 because of players like pirlo, cassano,balotelli etc.But I don't know what he have in mind now.These days he is talking so badly about Ronaldo.Even though I am a Messi fan I want to support all the legends of this beautiful game.But Cassano is definitely wrong to say that Ronaldo is causing problems at Juventus.This juventus team is completely different from the one that reached UCL finals in 2015 and 2017.That juventus team was one of the best team in their club's history.But there are so many new faces coming in now in the team just like many elite clubs of Europe.Ronaldo is giving his best every single game.He needs support.
sliekhay89
284
This cassano is drunk and at thr same time took an expired drugs, in Juventus of present wheres the midfielders with passes... Can he even count how many passes those rabiot, Arthur, bentacur, Ramsey, kulusevic, chiesa and etc have in seria A? U have a goalavhine in ur team but u don't have the tools to supply him for him to just score for u but u are there u blaming just one person. If Ronalddo doesn't pkay two or three matches I wonder where the goals would come from bcus I don't even know why this cassano talking rubbish about Cr7 all the time juve loses a match... Is it only cr7 that wore the eleven Jersey and played the match? Pirlo himself is clueless like OGS of Manchester United what's thr tactics or plan A or B he's put in at juve? Keep shut if u don't have anything concrete to add to the team to move forward instead of tarnishing a big player in the football history
Wiblnrtuyz
125
115 goals in career. CR7 has that in headers only. Here’s a face only a mother or Barca queens (8-2) could love.
Mankin
86
The media always publishes controversial thoughts of ex-players and treats them as though they have any sort of credibility. Believe it or not, being an ex-player doesn’t mean you have the ability of breaking down tactics and understanding the game on a deeper level, any more than a die-hard football fan. That’s why most ex-players, no matter how intelligent they may seem, end up failing as managers. So my advice to Cassano is to enjoy his retirement and stop talking about things he doesn’t know about. If there’s a problem between Pirlo’s style of play and Ronaldo, the Juventus board should be experienced enough to make a decision. They don’t need the likes of Antonio Cassano to point it out to them...
GRAVITY0307
72
A match or a cup or whatever you may want to win is not won with a single player doing everything. What was the goalkeeper doing at the back or in the post? Reading obituary posters? [Crylaugh]. Or the defenders were thinking of someone crucifying their wives at home(shhhhhh!) on their matrimonial beds.?😎 Come on, I wouldn't be happy hearing some negative comments about messi ,so therefore the Italians ought to show cr some respect. He's done what none of Italy's players can do.They and haters should GIVE HIM A BREAK! Though not his supporter I would love to see him play for long as with messi because the moment they decide to retire, THE GAME WOULD BE BORING as normal games. We should wish THEM WELL TO GIVE US MORE. LONG MAY THEY REIGN.
Peoaiknsty
16
Cassano was a great player for Italy.I supported Italy besides Spain in euro 2012 because of players like pirlo, cassano,balotelli etc.But I don't know what he have in mind now.These days he is talking so badly about Ronaldo.Even though I am a Messi fan I want to support all the legends of this beautiful game.But Cassano is definitely wrong to say that Ronaldo is causing problems at Juventus.This juventus team is completely different from the one that reached UCL finals in 2015 and 2017.That juventus team was one of the best team in their club's history.But there are so many new faces coming in now in the team just like many elite clubs of Europe.Ronaldo is giving his best every single game.He needs support.
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but he's saying the fact...Ronaldo's presence is a menace to the rest...players like dybala,chiesa and co can't play their own football...they all want to give ronaldo at all cost...same way Ronaldo killed bale's career at real madrid...he wants the ball every second which is not allowing the other good players to perform and showcase their best...Ronaldo is a great player but his hunger for the ball always is killing the rest
motekoprsu
13
but he's saying the fact...Ronaldo's presence is a menace to the rest...players like dybala,chiesa and co can't play their own football...they all want to give ronaldo at all cost...same way Ronaldo killed bale's career at real madrid...he wants the ball every second which is not allowing the other good players to perform and showcase their best...Ronaldo is a great player but his hunger for the ball always is killing the rest
If you watch Juve match you’d realize they don’t even get the ball to him so you and casano are just being blind or stupid
Altaaffarhaan
12
but he's saying the fact...Ronaldo's presence is a menace to the rest...players like dybala,chiesa and co can't play their own football...they all want to give ronaldo at all cost...same way Ronaldo killed bale's career at real madrid...he wants the ball every second which is not allowing the other good players to perform and showcase their best...Ronaldo is a great player but his hunger for the ball always is killing the rest
do you watch juve match ?
vebabdosu
9
115 goals in career. CR7 has that in headers only. Here’s a face only a mother or Barca queens (8-2) could love.
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Yup. CR7 was beaten 5 - 0 by barca.You have nothing to say.
AJAX10
8
115 goals in career. CR7 has that in headers only. Here’s a face only a mother or Barca queens (8-2) could love.
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And yeah Barcelona only Beat Your P enaldo 3-2 at your home in front of your supporters Because of The Goat Messi..... REMEMBER THAT MESSI'S SHIRT OFF CELEBRATION??? AND YES, now don't say Ronaldo also did it afterwards, at that time Madrid was already winning, and Messi still managed to score in that game, But afterwards, Your P enaldo scored a goal and copied Messi's celebration....