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Juventus director Fabio Paratici said Cristiano Ronaldo represents the “future” of the club following rumors of a return to Real Madrid.
Ronaldo was criticized for his role in Juve’s exit from the Champions League to FC Porto with exBianconeri Coach Fabio Capello described his failure to block a Sergio Oliveira free kick that decided the tie as “the worst.” Former president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli suggested that the club fire the Portugal captain at the end of the season.
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Post-match reports had suggested that Ronaldo was unhappy with the result and eager to return to Madrid.
“It makes me laugh,” Paratici told Sky Sport Italia before Juve’s Serie A clash with Cagliari, when asked about the criticism. “In my career, I never thought I would hear debates about Cristiano Ronaldo.
“I grew up in a small town. In bars or in the parish, I heard these discussions about [Roberto] Baggio or [Sandro] Mazzola.
“I never thought I would hear about Ronaldo now. He is the top scorer in Serie A. He has won the Ballon d’Or five times. It is a privilege to have him. He certainly represents the future of Juventus.”
Paratici’s comments came a day after Juve manager Andrea Pirlo defended Ronaldo’s record with them, following criticism for his failure to reach the Champions League semifinals in his three seasons at the club.
Ronaldo scored his 21st Serie A goal of the season to put Juve 1-0 up in Cagliari after 10 minutes on Sunday, which is live on ESPN +.
Source: espn.co.uk
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