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Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo has been praised by club legend Alessandro Del Piero for resting Cristiano Ronaldo against Lazio.
Juventus beat Lazio 3-1 on Sunday in Serie A, with Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo resting key players. With Juventus set to face Porto in an important Champions League tie tomorrow, his decision was appreciated by Del Piero.
The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Leonardo Bonucci and Weston McKennie were all benched by Pirlo, and in an interview to Sky Sport Italia, Del Piero hailed the move.
"It was a smart move by both Pirlo and him. Juventus won without six starters. They rested, so they are ready to play now. Lazio had a great start, but Juventus fought back. They were consistent and that’s great news considering their next game against Porto."
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A brace from Spanish striker Alvaro Morata and a goal from French midfielder Adrien Rabiot secured the win for Juventus. Argentine forward Joaquin Correa scored the consolation goal for Lazio.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus face Porto in crucial Champions League fixture
Having secured the win against Lazio, Juventus and Cristiano Ronaldo will now turn their attention to their crucial Champions League encounter against Porto.
Sergio Conceicao's men shocked Juventus 2-1 in the first-leg of the tie. Goals from Mehdi Taremi and Moussa Marega ensuring victory for the Portuguese giants. However, Italian winger Federico Chiesa managed to find the net for Juventus.
Cristiano Ronaldo endured a quiet first-leg game, and will be keen to seal the deal for Juventus in the second-leg.
The Portugal international is the leading goalscorer in Serie A this season. In 22 appearances in the league, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 20 goals.
Since joining the club in 2018 for a club-record fee of €100 million from Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo has made 120 appearances in all competitions, scoring 92 goals.
The 36-year old is regarded as one of the greatest footballers to have played the game, with trophy-laden spells at Manchester United, Real Madrid and now Juventus.
The aim with Juventus remains Champions League success. Despite incredible domestic success, Juventus and Cristiano Ronaldo have struggled in Europe's premier club competition.
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