He was meant to be the final piece of the jigsaw
Reports in Italy are claiming Cristiano Ronaldo could leave Juventus if they fail to win the Champions League next season.
Ronaldo was signed last summer with the intention of helping Juve finally win the elusive Champions League, which has escaped them in recent years despite them reaching finals in 2015 and 2017.
This week’s exit at the hands of Ajax, who defied the odds to slay one of European football’s giants thanks to a towering header from 19-year-old captain Matthijs De Ligt, left the club in a state of shock. Gazzetta dello Sport say there was a “deafening silence” among the Juventus camp after the defeat.
That result meant Ronaldo will not compete in the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time since 2009/10.
The Portuguese forward is now reported to be demanding improvements in the squad, and could leave the club just two years into his four year contract if Juventus do not improve on their disappointing European campaign next season.
The 34-year-old scored in both legs of the quarter-final tie against Ajax, but the Eredivisie were ultimately too much for the ageing Juve defence to handle.
Ronaldo has won five Champions League titles – one with Manchester United in 2008 and four with Real Madrid. The trophy has become synonymous with Ronaldo, and if he cannot bring a European title to Turin, his time in Italy will be remembered as a failure.
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Front pages of Gazzetta, Corsport and Tuttosport headline on a Juventus revamp.
Cristiano Ronaldo is furious & is waiting for reinforcements. CR7 remains the only guarantee for Juventus this summer.
The club is already targeting to play the 2020 UCL final in Istanbul. pic.twitter.com/e38MaZi2io
— Arjun Pradeep (@IndianRegista) April 18, 2019
Gazzetta also report that these reinforcements that Ronaldo is demanding could come in the shape of Mohamed Salah, while Benfica starlet Joao Felix is also a target.
Meanwhile, Miarlem Pjanić, Paulo Dybala and Douglas Costa could all be on their way out. Juve are reportedly eyeing up Mauro Icardi, who has once again lost the faith of Inter Milan’s ultra group, as a potential replacement for his compatriot, Dybala.
