Champions League

Cristiano Ronaldo focus

| 07 November 2018

Ronaldo scored a stunning goal but his former club came out on top.

A moment of magic from Cristiano Ronaldo was not enough for Juventus to get the better of his former club Manchester United as a late turnaround saw the Champions League clash end 2-1 in the visitors' favour.

Here, Press Association Sport analyses the Portugal star's overall performance.

Creativity

35' POST! @SamiKhedira comes inches away from giving Juve the lead as his shot from @Cristiano's pass just hits the frame of the goal!#JuveMUFC [0-0] #UCL #ForzaJuve

— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) November 7, 2018

The Portuguese set up the best chance of the first half, pulling the ball back for Sami Khedira to hit a shot against a post. He put in a couple of decent crosses and dragged one shot so wide it almost inadvertently set up a scoring chance for a team-mate. Another good cross in the second half almost picked out Juan Cuadrado for a header, while his lay-off for Miralem Pjanic to shoot could easily have killed United off.

Goal

Cristiano Ronaldo scores first Champions League goal for Juventus! ⚫️⚪️

And what a way to do it! 😳🙌

UNREAL! 👏 pic.twitter.com/6G9siDmXZp

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) November 7, 2018

Ronaldo produced a stunning 65th-minute finish to break the deadlock at Juventus Stadium. It was his first Champions League goal for the Turin club and will be hard to beat. Leonardo Bonucci's raking pass went over the head of Victor Lindelof and as the ball dropped, Ronaldo smashed a superb volley past David de Gea.

Attacking threat

65' WHAT A G⚽️ALLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!! @Cristiano !!!!!!!!!!!! 🔥#JuveMUFC [1-0] #UCL #ForzaJuve pic.twitter.com/vlvcfMxFfj

— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) November 7, 2018

Ronaldo struggled to find space in the first half so when he had a sight of goal, he took it. Twice he let fly from distance and both times the ball fizzed wide. He saw an early volley attempt blocked by Lindelof and took too long on the ball on two occasions when it looked like he could have got a shot off, with Chris Smalling and then Ander Herrera getting in his way. Scored a sublime goal and it looked like he would add a second in the 74th minute but he opted to play the ball back to Cuadrado and the Colombian blazed over the crossbar.

Attitude

Ronaldo was playing against his former club (Martin Rickett/PA)

Seems much more relaxed than he was in his Real Madrid days. His frustration with his team-mates was obvious at times at the Bernabeu but he seems happier in Italy. Ronaldo was eager to impress against his former employers and popped up in various positions as he looked to see more of the ball and attack.

Overall

MAMMA MIA!!! 🔥⚽️#JuveMUFC #UCL #ForzaJuve pic.twitter.com/cPoESHpefY

— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) November 7, 2018

It was an energetic display from the forward and he found himself in plenty of good positions but his wasteful team-mates struggled to pick him out. He produced some nice lay-offs and decent dribbles before a stunning goal to put his side ahead, but ultimately his eighth goal in 14 matches for Juventus counted for little as United came out on top.

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