After the defeat of the European Superliga around him during the last weeks of last season, the president of Juventus, Andrea Agnelli, was asked if he had reasons to regret bringing Cristiano Ronaldo to the club in the summer of 2018.
“Are you wrong to take Ronaldo? Never, “Agnelli told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.” I would do it again tomorrow. “
It was a curious statement to deliver it with so much conviction. Ronaldo was supposed to take Juventus to new levels when he completed a move of 100 million euros (£ 86 million) from Real Madrid, but at no point in his three years in Turin was there a breakthrough. of the round of 16 of the Champions League. And they only got that far once.
Juventus’ home dominance had even been let slip. Two Serie A titles, the eighth and ninth of the famous race, in the first two years gave way to a fortuitous fourth place finish last season. Ronaldo met his usual goals (101 in 134 appearances), but not the inspiration that Agnelli would have envisioned.
A failed experiment? May be. But there are other reasons why Agnelli clings so vehemently to his weapons.
The Ronaldo phenomenon spread far beyond the Allianz Stadium during his time in northern Italy. Juventus’ corporate revenues increased significantly, as did almost any other measure of their value to the club. Sale of shirts? Up. Follow-up on social media? Up. Sponsorship offers? Up. It is clear that Ronaldo was a guarantee of more than goals.
Manchester United, already the