Video Shows Cristiano Ronaldo Boasting to Pepe Before Champions League Exit
- Cristiano Ronaldo failed to inspire Juventus past the Champions League second round this season
- The Portuguese striker saw his side knocked out of the tournament by Pepe’s FC Porto
- Ronaldo and Pepe were team-mates at Real Madrid and footage has picked up their on-pitch conversation
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Juventus were knocked out of this season’s Champions League in the second round after the Old Lady were edged by Portuguese side FC Porto.
The striker was heavily criticised for jumping in a ‘wall’ which allowed Sergio Oliviera grabbed his second goal for Porto from a 30-yard freekick.
Porto proceeded to the quarter-final of the competition following the away goals' rule after it had ended 4-4 on aggregates.
But footage has shown Ronaldo telling his opponent and former team-mate Pepe to carry on as he boasted Juve will win the encounter.
The game was also significant for Ronaldo for another reason - it meant he got to take on former Real Madrid and Portugal team-mate Pepe for the first time as an opponent.
Pepe looked to be forced off early on in the second leg of their last-16 tie when he went down with an injury. Ronaldo said:
"Carry on playing.
“I'm going to win and it's going to be with you on the pitch.”
Pepe was able to continue but, unfortunately for Ronaldo, he was unable to get the better of his long-time team-mate.
Meanwhile, Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici has stated that having a superstar like Cristiano Ronaldo is something to cherish, adding that it is a privilege.
Ronaldo shrugged-off a bad performance in the Champions League earlier in the week to score a 32-minute hat-trick in the Serie A against Cagliari as they keep their league title hopes.
Source: Getty Images
The Portuguese striker was heavily criticised over the two legs against FC Porto with many accusing him of betraying his team-mates when it mattered most.
But the club’s sporting director Fabio Paratici has insisted that Ronaldo being on the Serie A champions' books is something to cherish.
Legit.ng earlier reported that Juventus' chances of winning their 10th Serie A title suffered yet another major setback following their disappointing 1-0 defeat to 16th place Benevento at the Allianz Stadium on Sunday, March 21.
Having crashed out of the Champions League, the Old Lady came guns-blazing with a strong squad in a bid to close the gap on the current table-toppers Inter Milan.
A single strike from Adolfo Gaich in the 69th minute ensured the visitors claimed maximum points as the home team was condemned to its fourth defeat of the Italian League season.
Babajide Orevba is a digital publishing expert, an avid sports content thinker, researcher and writer. He is a graduate of Guidance and Counselling, having bagged his B.SC (ED) from the Ekiti State University. He can be reached on Twitter @JideOrevba
Source: Legit.ng
