Federico Bernardeschi has refuted any suggestion that Cristiano Ronaldo “upset balance” during his time at Juventus. The Portuguese superstar completed a stunning transfer to Turin in 2018 when bringing a record-shattering spell at Real Madrid to a close. He would go on to spend three seasons with the Bianconeri, helping them to five trophies – including two Serie A titles.
Ronaldo's record: Goal tally for Juventus
Juve supporters were delighted to welcome Ronaldo onto their books when a switch that few people saw coming was completed. He had scored 44 goals through as many appearances in the previous season with Real – taking his overall tally for the Liga giants to 450 through 438 appearances. He was still very much at the peak of his powers when heading to Italy.
Ronaldo made the expected impact with Juve, breaking the 30-goal barrier in two campaigns for the Old Lady of Turin. He became a centurion once again, with the net being found on 101 occasions through 134 games. CR7 helped Juve to cement their domestic dominance, while also remaining competitive on the Champions League stage.
AdvertisementGettyWork ethic: Ronaldo relentless in his approach
Some stunning efforts were recorded by the Portuguese, including his towering header against Sampdoria in December 2019. Questions were, however, asked throughout his time in Italy of whether he was the right fit for Juve. His relentless pursuit of perfection is also considered to rub club colleagues up the wrong way at times, with not everybody sharing his work ethic when it comes to early morning and late night gym sessions.
Bernardeschi is, however, adamant that Ronaldo was never anything but a positive presence for Juve. He was not always one of the boys, with his celebrity status forcing a somewhat shielded existence to be lived off the pitch, but he was happy to form part of dressing room banter and let his guard down when clear of the cameras that follow his every move.
Ronaldo happy to get involved in dressing room banter
Speaking to , Bernardeschi said: “From a locker room perspective, he’s an exceptional guy. As a player, there’s nothing more to add, he’s sensational. He’s more humble and sensitive than you might think.
“As his team-mate, you must understand that he’s unique, and don’t compare what he does to what you do. If you’re aware of this, you’ll have no problem. He has his routine, he has things you need to know, be aware of. He’s your team-mate, but he’s not like you. If I want to go get an ice cream in Turin with Cristiano, it’s a different story. He laughs and jokes, a truly down-to-earth guy. When I came in, he always said: ‘There’s the stylish Italian’. He laughs and jokes with everyone.”
GettyRonaldo not to blame for Champions League failure
Ex-Italy international Bernardeschi, who is now on the books of Bologna after spending three years in MLS with Toronto FC, added on Ronaldo supposedly disrupting Juventus’ tactical approach: “No, I don’t think he upset any balance. In the first season after his arrival, we really could have won the Champions League, I truly believe it.
“To say that Cristiano Ronaldo upset the balance within Juventus is not true; it would be hiding behind an alibi. I believe there were several factors that led to the loss of that DNA, that secret of transmitting values. If Juve didn’t win the Champions League with Ronaldo, it’s not his fault, it’s everyone’s fault. Against Atletico, he scored three goals, but everyone else had a wonderful performance. The following season, it was quite the opposite.”
