Maurizio Sarri admits it was 'an absurd request' to use Cristiano Ronaldo as a striker at Juventus

Cristiano Ronaldo did not like playing as a central striker at Juventus, according to the club's former manager Maurizio Sarri.

Current Lazio boss Sarri was in charge in Turin for the 2019-20 season, when Juve won the Serie A title and Ronaldo scored 37 goals in 46 appearances across all competitions.

The Portuguese forward spent the majority of the campaign on the left wing, amid suggestions that he refused to play down the middle.

Addressing the matter following Lazio's 3-0 win over Cagliari on Saturday, Sarri told Sky Sports Italia (via Football Italia): 'Cristiano scored more Serie A goals in his season with me than any other.

'He was prepared to play centre-forward in a few games when we had an emergency situation, but he didn't much like the idea of doing it regularly.

'In those situations, you end up challenging the certainties that the player has. Ronaldo scored 35-40 goals per season by starting from that wider position, so for him it was an almost absurd request. That is understandable for the way he plays.'

Sarri's claims come after Ronaldo has played the entirety of this season upfront for Manchester United.

With Edinson Cavani the only recognised centre forward at Old Trafford, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick have both deployed the Portuguese superstar down the middle.

Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Mason Greenwood and Anthony Elanga have then been used out wide.

Ronaldo made a strong start to the campaign with nine goals in his first 11 appearances, but has now found the back of the net just once in his last 10 matches.