Cristiano Ronaldo’s future is ‘without doubt’ at Juventus, claims Fabio Paratici as he hits out at reaction to £100m star man’s role in shock Champions League exit to Porto… just days after admitting a new contract ‘is not on the agenda’
- Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus was put in doubt after a difficult week for the club
- The Old Lady exited the Champions League at the last-16 stage to FC Porto
- Juve chief Luca Paratici initially claimed a new deal for Ronaldo was not a priority
- But Paratici has now come out and said the striker’s future belongs in Turin
Cristiano Ronaldo’s future remains at Juventus amid media speculation he could leave the club at the end of the season, says the Turin club’s managing director Fabio Paratici.
The 36-year-old was linked with a return to former club Real Madrid by some Spanish media outlets this week after the Italians suffered Champions League elimination.
Paratici claimed that extending Ronaldo’s contract beyond 2022 was not on Juventus’ current agenda but has backtracked on his claims by saying the Portuguese forward is set to stay.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s future belongs at Juventus, according to the club’s managing director
Luca Paratici has backtracked on claims that the 36-year-old’s new contract is not a priority
When Paratici was asked by Sky Italia if Ronaldo represented the future of Juventus, he said: ‘Without doubt’.
Ronaldo came in for criticism for his performance against Porto, whose decisive goal came from a free kick that went through his legs as he turned in the wall, with the front page of Wednesday’s Corriere dello Sport saying ‘Betrayed by Ronaldo’, but Paratici defended Juve’s key player.
‘It makes me laugh, I never would’ve thought Ronaldo could be put up for discussion’, he said. ‘We’re talking about a player who is the current top scorer in Serie A and has won five Ballon d’Or awards.
Ronaldo has failed to bring the Champions League trophy Juventus after three years in Turin
‘He has already won a lot of titles with us and it’s a privilege for to have him in our squad. We will hold onto him and enjoy him as much as possible. We’re very happy to have him with us.’
Juventus were knocked out by Porto on away goals following a 4-4 aggregate draw on Tuesday in the last-16, the same stage of the competition in which they were eliminated at last season by Lyon, also on away goals.
It means Ronaldo has failed to win the Champions League in his first three seasons in Turin, the task he was given when he moved to Turin in a £100million move from Real.
The Portuguese icon scored a hat-trick in Juventus’ 3-1 victory away at Cagliari on Sunday
After the club’s Champions League exit to Porto, Paratici raised doubts about Ronaldo’s future with his comments to Sky Italia.
‘Fortunately, there’s a year left on his contract; we have time eventually to discuss it with him’, said Paratici. ‘Let’s just say it’s not on the agenda right now.’
Ronaldo responded to the Champions League setback by netting a hat-trick in Juventus’ 3-1 victory away at Cagliari on Sunday, moving the Old Lady ten points behind Serie A leaders Inter Milan with a game in hand.
