16.08.2018 » Ronaldo's Juventus switch will be judged solely on UCL success
Cristiano Ronaldo has arrived in Serie A to much fanfare and ahead of the new season kicking off this weekend, even Chievo Verona - who average a home attendance of just over 10,000 - have sold out their season opener against the Portuguese's new side Juventus. But the Ballon d'Or holder will arrive to a league that, while on the up again, is not what it once was and in truth, he isn't even all that needed at the Juventus Stadium. The Portuguese star is a serial winner and will be looking to add the Serie A crown to the Premier League and La Liga successes he has already celebrated...
Cristiano Ronaldo - Debut for Juventus:
The Old Lady's stranglehold on Serie A
Now seeking an eighth straight Scudetto, Juventus have the Italian top flight locked down and it is beginning to look like there is no way for them to be stopped.
Napoli pushed them closer than they have been in their seven straight successes last season, by becoming the first club to ever surpass 90 points and not be crowned Italian champions. As impressive as the Partenopei were, though, they still came up short and Juventus' response to being tested was to bring in one of the world's very best players.
AC Milan, Roma and Inter have recruited well this summer, so it is easy to understand the frustration of their supporters with the ex-Real Madrid superstar arriving in Turin.
While many are hyping up the deal as a positive for Italian football, it is not all good news. Competitiveness at the very top has been lacking and too often unfairly used against the overall quality of the league. Now, the eyes of the world will be on Serie A because of this signing and what new viewers will see is a league with one team even more clear at the top and in a league of their own.
Defining success
Cristiano's €105 million transfer will be deemed a success or failure based not on what Juve achieve domestically, but on whether or not they can finally go one step further and win the much-coveted UEFA Champions League title.
While backing the Bianconeri for success in Italy is as much of a guarantee of a positive outcome as is possible, but they represent good value in Europe and might be a worthwhile use of your Genting promo code.
Manchester City, Barcelona, Atletico and Real Madrid will provide stern competition in the Champions League, but with Cristiano in their ranks, Juve will fancy their chances of bettering their two second placed finishes in the last four seasons.
If there is any one who can change a team's fortunes, particularly in the Champions League, that person is certainly Cristiano Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo next game for Juventus is on August 18 of 2018 against Chievo Verona. You can watch Chievo vs Juventus, Guingamp vs PSG, Barcelona vs Alaves, Birmingham City vs Swansea City, Chelsea vs Arsenal, and Cardiff City vs Newcastle, all matches provided from our live football game pages.
Juventus next game:
Chievo vs Real Madrid kick-off time (18-08-2018):
Beijing (China) | UTC/GMT+8: 00:00
Jakarta (Indonesia) | UTC/GMT+7: 23:00
India (New Delhi) | UTC/GMT+5.30: 21:30
Spain (Madrid) | UTC/GMT+2: 18:00
Portugal and England (Lisbon/London) | UTC/GMT+1: 17:00
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | UTC/GMT-3: 13:00
New York (United States) | UTC/GMT-4: 12:00
Los Angeles (United States) | UTC/GMT-7: 09:00
Sources: ronaldo7.net / fifa.com / tv3.ie
