Juventus regained top spot in Serie A after defeating Inter Milan 2-0 at an empty Allianz Stadium on Sunday.
Serie A resumed play this weekend despite ongoing concerns over the coronavirus, and scenes before the match showed players warming up in a surreal atmosphere.
Juventus president Andrea Agnelli has questioned whether their smaller rivals Atalanta should have a right to play in the Champions League, saying they lack international history. His comments drew a blunt response from the mayor of Atalanta's home town Bergamo who said the team had earned their place with "sweat and imagination."
The Coppa Italia semifinal second leg between Juventus and AC Milan has been postponed. The coronavirus has been wreaking havoc all across the globe. Other than China, Italy has incurred the most deaths at 79 due to the rapidly spreading virus.
The Serie A season runs the risk of not finishing if more matches are postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak, Inter Milan's chief executive Giuseppe Marotta said on Sunday. Inter's match at Juventus, which was to have been played later on Sunday, was one of five which were postponed by Serie A on Saturday.
Italy's Serie A soccer league has confirmed that five matches will be played behind closed doors at the weekend because of the coronavirus outbreak in the country, including the clash between leaders Juventus and third-placed Inter Milan on Sunday.
Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri is struggling to impose his style of play on the Turin side and his frustration came out into the open again after a poor performance in their Champions League defeat to Olympique Lyonnais on Wednesday.
In comments that could be viewed as refreshingly honest or a risky public criticism of his players, the chain-smoking 61-year-old said that his team were struggling to grasp the concept of passing the ball around quickly — a style dubbed "Sarri-ball" by his admirers.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus traveled to the hallowed grounds of the Parc Olympique Lyonnais, home of the best women’s club team in Europe and the location of the USWNT’s 2019 Women’s World Cup triumph.
The Italian Old Lady couldn’t live up to the ladies who have made the French stadium one of the Mecca’s of women’s football.
But Ronaldo made a funny face.
Cristiano Ronaldo haters love to rag on the Portuguese star because he scores so many penalty kicks, giving him the derogatory moniker Penaldo. Ronaldo does convert more PKs than, say, Lionel Messi, but you can’t fault the man’s prowess from 12 yards out. On Thursday, the Juventus winger fully deserved the penalty he won for a dramatic late equalizer.
Cristiano Ronaldo turned 35 on Wednesday. On Saturday he was back banging in goals for Juventus, setting a club record in the process.
By all accounts, Ronaldo had a lovely 35th birthday. He started the day off with two of his favorite things: training and self-congratulations.
Cristiano Ronaldo finalized his transfer from Real Madrid to Juventus back in the summer of 2018, bringing an end to his nine-year spell at the Bernabeu. Juve paid Real $117.25 million for the 34-year-old’s services, and Ronaldo signed a four-year deal worth around $35 million annually.