Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus Drop 1st Points in Serie A After Draw vs. Genoa

Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus dropped their first points in Serie A this season after being held to a 1-1 draw by Genoa at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday. 

Ronaldo scored his fifth goal of the season to put Juve in front on 18 minutes, but Daniel Bessa equalised for the visitors in the 67th minute to end the Bianconeri's run of eight straight league wins to start the season.

Ronaldo Already a Lock for the Capocannoniere

Ronaldo has wasted no time in proving a move to a different league was never going to slow him down in front of goal. The 33-year-old already looks a lock to win the Capocannoniere, the award for the top scorer in Serie A.

He got his fifth league goal when he tapped in after full-back Jose Cancelo's shot had been blocked. The simple finish maintained Ronaldo's prolific start to his time in Turin:

It also brought up a landmark for the forward, who has dominated the highest levels of European football:

In this kind of form, Ronaldo will take some beating in Serie A's scoring charts. He's still a master at finding the net and is playing in a team that serves him well.

Mario Mandzukic handles the physical challenges in the air, and the supply provided by wingers Juan Cuadrado and Douglas Costa ensures chances aplenty for their No. 7.

Add in the flair of Paulo Dybala and the ingenuity of Federico Bernardeschi, and Ronaldo is surrounded by players who will keep him among the goals all season.

Draw Proves Why Juve Won't Win the Champions League

Ronaldo is supposed to be the missing link for Juve to win the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 1996. Former Benfica winger Simao Sabrosa has already tipped Juventus to lift the famous trophy, per Jack Otway of the Daily Express.

Yet this draw proves why Juve won't win Europe's premier club competition this season. There's a lack of ruthlessness about the team despite them having enough firepower to kill off any game.

Part of the problem is the generally non-competitive nature of Serie A. To say Juve have had it easy in the Italian top flight in recent years would be an understatement.

The Turin club have won the last seven titles and opened this campaign with a nine-match unbeaten run (eight wins, one draw). Another Scudetto already looks a foregone conclusion for Massimiliano Allegri and his players, even after dropping two points in uncharacteristic fashion.

The draw against Genoa shows the danger of complacency for Juve's game:

The game became difficult, and Juve didn't have enough to hold onto their lead or regain it once Genoa equalised. Not being able to salt games away will prove especially costly once the Champions League reaches the knockout phase.

Although Genoa moved up to 10th after this result, this is a team Juve would expect to beat convincingly at home. 

Strolling through games is a dangerous habit, one likely borne from so much success domestically. The club managed to get the balance right when they reached the final in 2015 and 2017, but the heavy defeats to Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively, in those finals raised questions about the gap between Juve and Europe's elite.

Ronaldo is supposed to bridge the gap, but games like this will see doubts remain until they can prove them wrong.

Other big clubs across Europe, notably Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain, have found it difficult to keep a competitive edge when their dominance on home soil is assured.

It's a fate likely to befall Juve as they traverse their latest quest for Europe's top prize.

Krzysztof Piatek Isn't Ready for Bigger Clubs Yet

He entered the game having scored 13 goals in eight matches and amid a slew links to some of Europe's biggest clubs. However, Krzysztof Piatek showed he's not ready for the bigger stage just yet.

The Poland international striker, who Rebecca Chaplin on The Sun reported has been linked with Barcelona and Chelsea, endured an afternoon to forget in Turin. He squandered a few promising chances and was at fault for Ronaldo's goal.

Piatek left the ball for his goalkeeper after Cancelo's shot has been blocked but didn't see Ronaldo waiting to tap it in.

It was an embarrassing moment for a player of considerable promise:

Heading wide from close range with his team still trailing in the second half summed up the 23-year-old's frustration in front of goal.

Piatek's potential is obvious, but he'll need to shine against opposition of this stature consistently before he justifies any talk of a move to a bigger club.

What's Next?

Juve will be at Old Trafford on Tuesday to face Manchester United in Group H of the UEFA Champions League before returning to Serie A action in Empoli on October 27.

Genoa will host Udinese on the following day.