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Andrea Pirlo has stated that it is 'normal' for Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo to be linked with Real Madrid after their failure against FC Porto in the UEFA Champions League round of 16, playing down his potential exit.
The Italian champions were knocked out in the last 16 stage for the second successive year have now failed to breach the last eight for the third year running since Cristiano Ronaldo arrived in Turin. This disappointing run has led to immense speculation regarding a potential exit for the Portuguese striker, with a move to former club Real Madrid on the cards.
Andrea Pirlo has dismissed these rumours and claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo has 'proved his worth' for Juventus.
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Speaking ahead of Juventus' Serie A clash against Cagliari, the Italian coach expressed;
"It's normal that he's [Cristiano Ronaldo] disappointed, as is the whole squad. And it's normal there be rumours [of a Real Madrid return] after an elimination."
The Juventus boss added;
"He is the most talked about footballer in the world alongside [Lionel] Messi — people are always talking about him. It's worth reminding that he has always done well. He has 90 goals in a hundred games for Juventus and has always shown his worth. It can happen that he doesn't score in a certain match, as has happened with others, and this creates rumours."
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored an astounding 92 goals in 121 games since his record-breaking move in 2018, along with 22 assists to show for. However, his European endeavours with Juventus have been far from productive, with defeats to AFC Ajax, Olympique Lyon, and most recently, FC Porto in the UCL.
Cristiano Ronaldo continues to be linked with Real Madrid amidst Juventus uncertainty
With Cristiano Ronaldo's contract set to expire in 2022, there is much speculation over whether he will opt to extend his stay at the club beyond the summer. Zidane revealed recently that his former club, Real Madrid, still hold the five-time Ballon d'Or winner in high regard amidst reports of a reunion.
Real Madrid themselves are on the lookout for attacking reinforcements come summer, with AS reporting that Cristiano Ronaldo could provide a great short-term goalscoring option that the Blancos can explore.
Their report claims that the Portuguese striker could be a stop-gap until the 2022 summer transfer window, during which Kylian Mbappe, considered to be their priority target, could be available as a free agent.
Erling Haaland — another player long admired by Real Madrid — will also see his €75m release clause come into effect that year, and could be signed by the club. Haaland is also on Juventus' radar as a potential Cristiano Ronaldo replacement.
