Champions League: Cristiano Ronaldo shows why Juve 'bought him'
Cristiano Ronaldo's experience and finesse in the UEFA Champions League knockout stages came to fruition once again. The five-time UCL winner scored a sensational hat-trick against Atletico Madrid to send Juventus to the quarters. The Italian giants had paid a whopping £99m for Ronaldo last summer and he showed why he is worth every penny even at the age of 34.
What happened on the night in Turin?
Juventus went into this match with a 0-2 deficit and needed something special to overturn the same. Ronaldo stood up and took control of the second leg at home and looked unstoppable. He got the tie level with two typical strong headers to stun Atletico's famed defensive line. And then in the 86th minute, he converted a penalty to script history for Juventus.
Ronaldo was bought to produce such magic
This isn't the first time Ronaldo's goals have been decisive in a knockout encounter in the UCL. He played a decisive role in helping Real Madrid on numerous occasions during knockout ties. That's why Real dominated Europe with four honors in five years. And Juve got Ronaldo to produce these magical moments for them. When the time arrived, Ronaldo was at it once again.
Ronaldo smashes eighth hat-trick in the UCL
It was the legend's 124th goal in the Champions League. It was also his eighth hat-trick in the famed competition. "It was meant to be a special night and it was, not just for my goals but for the attitude we showed. That is the sort of mentality you need to win the Champions League," said the former Real Madrid great.
'This was why Juventus brought me here'
Ronaldo was quick to highlight why the Serie A champions invested in him and got him to Italy from Madrid. "This was why Juventus brought me here. To help do things that they have never done before," said the 34-year-old.
Sloppy Atletico endure a horrific night
Questions are being asked by fans regarding the lack of ambition showed by Atletico. They kept sitting deep and allowed Juve to have a crack. The ploy didn't work for Diego Simeone, whose side failed to muster a single shot on target and had just 38% possession. The tactics also forced Atletico in committing 17 fouls and the penalty conceded was the final blow.
Man City thrash Schalke 7-0
Manchester City were flawless under Pep Guardiola at the Etihad. The Premier League champions thrashed Schalke 7-0 on the night and a 10-2 aggregate win. Sergio Aguero's brace helped City cap off a massive victory. "It was a clear result. We are happy to get to the quarter-finals," said Guardiola after the match. Three English teams are in the quarter-finals.
