CRISTIANO RONALDO BREAKS JUVETUS' GOAL SCORING RECORD

Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo on Saturday became the first-ever Juventus player to score 25 goals in Serie A in over 60 years. The 35-year-old goal-machine achieved this monumental feat during Juve's league clash against their local rivals Torino. Cristiano's free-kick goal helped him match the efforts of former Juve forward and club legend Omar Sivori from 1960-61. Ronaldo's impressive goal-scoring standards have been maintained throughout the current season, with him finding the back of the net on 25 occasions through just 26 appearances in the Italian top-flight.

 It was the 46th club goal Ronaldo had scored in his career direct from a free kick but his first in nearly two seasons with Juventus and on his 43rd attempt.

“I needed to score from a free kick to get some confidence back,” the 35-year-old Ronaldo said.

Paulo Dybala and Juan Cuadrado had scored in the first half before Andrea Belotti’s penalty kick reduced the deficit. Torino defender Koffi Djidji netted an own-goal late on.

Juventus moved seven points clear of second-place Lazio, which hosts AC Milan later. Relegation-threatened Lecce was also playing later against Sassuolo.

The Turin derby was Buffon’s 648th appearance in Italy’s top flight, moving the 42-year-old ’keeper one ahead of AC Milan great Paolo Maldini, who set the record in 2009. Buffon matched this record on Dec. 18 against Sampdoria.

Buffon only had a couple of saves to make before being faced with a penalty in first-half stoppage time after Matthijs de Ligt was somewhat harshly judged to have handled the ball.

Buffon got a hand to Belotti’s penalty.

Juventus had taken the lead in the third minute when Cuadrado threaded the ball through for Dybala, who beat two defenders before curling in his fifth goal in as many Serie A matches.

Juve doubled its advantage in the 29th when Ronaldo ran from well inside his own half to the penalty area and rolled the ball across for Cuadrado to fire into the bottom left corner.

And Ronaldo got on the scoresheet himself in the 61st, floating the free kick over the wall and into the top left corner.

He became the first Juventus player since 1961 to score 25 league goals in a season.

Matters went from bad to worse for Torino when Djidji turned Douglas Costa’s cross into his own net.

The only sour note for Juventus was that Dybala was booked as well as De Ligt and both will be suspended for Tuesday’s match against Milan.

Juventus manager Maurizio Sarri, however, said after Bologna clash that Ronaldo just needs time to get back to his best following the enforced break put forward by the coronavirus pandemic.

“I spoke to Cristiano again yesterday, alone and for a long time. He mustn’t lose his confidence,” Sarri told reporters as per metro.co.uk.

“I hope that from tomorrow the fantastic player of old will come back. It’s just that he’s not physically at his best right now.”