In the absence of Juventus’s season being a success, their star man grabbed some individual glory for himself
Cristiano Ronaldo achieved perfection on Sunday. One goal with his head, another with his right foot and finally a third with his left. A perfect hat-trick, in the language of football. Perhaps it felt a little less flawless to the Cagliari goalkeeper Alessio Cragno, who bled from the chin when the forward’s studs caught him in the 14th minute, before the last two of those goals were scored.
It was a challenge that deserved a red card, Ronaldo raising his boot above shoulder height as he challenged for a cross. The referee Gianpaolo Calvarese opted for a yellow. A sliding doors moment that allowed Ronaldo to turn this into an afternoon of personal vindication, even as the wider context remained ambiguous for him and his club.
Related: European roundup: Martínez's late goal extends Inter's Serie A lead as Milan lose
That's a first half HAT-TRICK for Cristiano Ronaldo!
Looks like he's heard the criticism since Juve's shock Champions League exit pic.twitter.com/oMvvnmtLki
Fri: Atalanta 3-1 Spezia, Lazio 3-2 Crotone. Sat: Benevento 1-4 Fiorentina, Genoa 1-1 Udinese, Sassuolo 3-2 Verona. Sun: Bologna 3-1 Sampdoria, Cagliari 1-3 Juventus, Milan 0-1 Napoli, Parma 2-0 Roma, Torino 1-2 Inter.
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