Immortal. "A miracle worker," in the words of his partner at Juventus Turin Wojcieh Szczesny. This is how Cristiano Ronaldo is, again and again, presented, despite his 35 years. For Olympique Lyonnais, who are preparing to find him in the knockout stages of the Champions League this Friday at the Allianz Stadium (9 p.m., RMC Sport), the danger is obviously clearly identified. The Portuguese remains a formidable winning machine, as proved by the second title of Italian champion he has just won with the Old Lady. A crown that further adorns his impressive record, he who had already been crowned three times in England (from 2007 to 2009 with Manchester United) and two in Spain (2012 and 2017 with Real Madrid). And again, it is only a question of national titles, to which should be added his five successes in the Champions League, his same number of Ballons d'Or and, ultimate consecration perhaps in his eyes, his title. European champion with Portugal in 2016.
Top scorer for Juventus in a season for ... 68 years
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A prize list which has few equivalents and which symbolizes the incredible longevity of his career. Thus, Ronaldo is not satisfied with a few bits of match here and there with Juventus. No. As a fierce competitor and a model professional, he continues to be at the top. For the eleventh consecutive club season, he has exceeded the 20 goals scored in the league, a cap that he even blithely erased by registering the trifle of 31 goals. In Serie A, he thus became the footballer to reach the 50 goals scored the fastest, in just 61 games played. He also became the top scorer in a season for Juventus for sixty-eight years (the Dane John Hansen and his 30 goals in 1951-1952). Showing that wherever he goes, nothing and no one can resist him. Whether at Manchester United (2003-2009), Real Madrid (2009-2018) or Juventus today, Ronaldo scores. Goals, as much as minds. What makes him a unique specimen in the eyes of the one who started the phenomenon in the jersey of the Red Devils: Sir Alex Ferguson. “In my opinion, what makes the difference between Messi and Ronaldo is that the former is a Barcelona player, while the latter could play for Stockport County (English fifth division club) and score a hat-trick. Ronaldo is driven every day by this desire to be the best in the world. "
“At my age, most of the players go to China. I am different from everyone, from all players who are 32, 33 or 34 years old ”
A state of mind which explains greatly why he continues to shake the opposing nets so much at an age when others have already put the crampons in their closet. However, some bad tongues had scoffed at the time of his signing at Juventus Turin, announcing the start of his decline, deemed irremediable. Moreover, for Real Madrid to agree to part with it, it could only be because it was wrung out by fifteen years spent at the top. Opinions reinforced by the first hesitant steps of “CR7” in Turin. Do you think, after three Serie A games, the striker hadn't scored a single goal! A dearth that would have gone completely unnoticed for the common scorers, but not for him. Three games without a goal, for Ronaldo, it's an eternity. That never lasts long. A brace against Sassuolo on September 16, 2018, and the Lusitanian scoring machine started again. To never stop. With the intelligence of the athlete capable of reinventing himself to last.
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Thus, the Turinese Ronaldo is no longer quite the Madrid Ronaldo. His game has evolved. It has become "simpler, more fluid", as explained by his teammate at Juve, Miralem Pjanic. The Portuguese continues to love to dribble, to embark on great rides. Except that he does it less often. Just as he participates less in the game than before. At his peak, at Real, he touched between 50 to 60 balls per game. In Turin, he is more around 40, with a favorite area more located in the last 25 meters, which allows him to better manage his efforts. Even though, on a physical level, he's still an impressive workhorse, chiseling every muscle in his body. With an unusual dry trigger, which makes him one of the best leading players in the world of football.
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When signing for the Turin club in the summer of 2018, Ronaldo had passed tests revealing that his athletic performance was that of a 20-year-old. At the time, he commented on his results with the confidence that has characterized him since his debut and which has not changed one iota: “At my age, most of the players go to China. But me, I'm good emotionally and physically, that's why the path that brought me here makes me proud. I am different from everyone, from all players who are 32, 33 or 34 years old. “In a Juventus sometimes worrying physically during the resumption of the Italian championship in recent weeks, Ronaldo detonates. And imposes. Above all, he does not want to miss for anything in the world this famous "Final 8" of the Champions League in Lisbon. His home. Everyone remembers the way in which he had ruled out, almost by himself, Atlético Madrid in the round of 16 return with a fabulous hat-trick reversing the deal of the first leg (0-2, 3-0) the year latest. Some are already predicting the same torments, and the same conclusion, for the Lyonnais this Friday evening. And, even warned, a footballer is not worth two against Ronaldo.
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