Eduard Bănulescu
Cristiano Ronaldo has enjoyed yet another dominant season during the current 2019/20 campaign. The seemingly ageless striker was integrated effortlessly into the so-called Sarriball tactics practiced by Juventus. Here are the stats, tactics and the reason why fantasy football fans should keep monitoring CR7.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus stats during 2019/20
We should first get this out of the way. Cristiano Ronaldo’s age is often discussed in media. Ronaldo’s stats, however, show that his abilities haven’t altered much from his peak years at Manchester United and Real Madrid.
Some of the data that fully reinforces the idea that Cristiano Ronaldo’s salary is more than well-deserved includes:
- Ronaldo has scored 21 goals in the Serie A. Only Lazio’s Ciro Immobile has scored more.
- He’s scored a goal for nearly every 90 minutes played
- He’s managed 3 assists and, at 36 years old, has played in 22 of Juventus’ 26 league games
- He’s already on his way to improve on last season’s Serie A record when he also scored 21 goals
- He’s also close to netting more goals than he did in his last two seasons at Real Madrid. Those were campaigns in which Real and Ronaldo managed to win back-to-back Champions League trophies. He scored 25 and 26 goals domestically during those seasons.
- In terms of physical attributes, the player has lost little. For example, Cristiano Ronaldo’s jump height is, at most, 8.39 feet. He managed this in a league game against Sampdoria, jumping 4 inches higher than the crossbar.
Ronaldo & Maurizio Sarri’s tactics
Cristiano Ronaldo’s team role has changed somewhat in recent years. While Ronaldo started as a left-winger for Benfica and Manchester United, he usually plays as a striker under Maurizio Sarri, for Juventus.
Sarri has demanded a lot from Ronaldo. Although he spearheads Juventus’ attacks, he is also called upon to contribute to defensive plays. The manager recently talked about how he modified his famous Sarriball tactics to suit the Portuguese.
“On the field, we must be organized, in order to press during certain situations. Today, we were more organized than we’ve usually been,” Sarri told Football Italia.
Juventus in 2020 usually played in 4-3-1-2 formation, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Paolo Dybala upfront. The system can change into a 4-4-2 diamond depending on the opponent.
Most of the passes towards Ronaldo have come via his link with Aaron Ramsey. The midfielder is expected to distribute balls through the middle of the field to the attackers. Ronaldo and Ramsey also switch places throughout the game in a bid to destabilize the opponent’s pressing play.
Juventus has also employed a 4-3-3 formation where the wingers are integral to the team’s chances of scoring. Using this strategy, Ronaldo and Dybala act as wingers. They are expecting to stay wide, move fast and make the ball available to striker Gonzalo Higuain.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s rivals
Overall, Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus’ famous number 7, is still up there with the very best:
- He has scored 21 goals and registered 50 shots on goal, compared to Robert Lewandowski’s 25 and 51
- He has outscored his biggest rival, FC Barcelona’s Lionel Messi who has managed 18 goals so far this season
- He has scored more goals and registered more shots than Mohamed Salah and has grown to be a better forward inside the box as compared to the Egyptian forward
What’s next for CR7?
Cristiano Ronaldo has proven that his best playing days may yet be ahead of him. The recent international break in football as a consequence of the coronavirus pandemic could certainly upset the player’s current form.
Furthermore, Cristiano Ronaldo will be hopeful of his and Portugal’s chances at the Euro and World Cup tournaments. No doubt the player will continue to use his time on the pitch to finalize his final objectives, winning the Champions League with Juventus and the World Cup and Euro with Portugal.
