Massimiliano Allegri 'Confident' Cristiano Ronaldo Will Be Fit for Ajax vs. Juve
Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri is "confident" of having Cristiano Ronaldo fit for Wednesday's UEFA Champions League showdown with Ajax.
Ronaldo has missed the past three Juventus matches, having suffered a hamstring issue on international duty with Portugal.
The Bianconeri have performed well in his absence and were able to earn a 2-1 win on Saturday over AC Milan in Serie A. Speaking to Sky Italia after that encounter, Allegri said he thinks Ronaldo will be ready in time for the trip to Amsterdam.
"[Ronaldo] always feels ready, but I told him to rest [against Milan]," Allegri said (via Michael Plant of Goal). "We are confident of having him at Ajax on Wednesday."
Per James Westwood of Goal, ahead of the match against Milan, the Juventus boss said there were "good signs" regarding Ronaldo's fitness.
It would be a positive for Juventus if the Portuguese is fit, as he has established a reputation as the most decisive player in the history of the Champions League.
In the previous round, he showed why, as his hat-trick earned Juventus a 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid, overturning the team's 2-0 loss in the Spanish capital (U.S. only):
At quarter-final stage of the competition last year, Ronaldo netted this extraordinary goal against his current side for former employers Real Madrid (U.S. only):
When Juventus spent big to sign Ronaldo from Madrid in the summer, it was with these types of matches in mind. During his time in Spain, the forward was crucial to Los Blancos' four Champions League triumphs.
However, there doesn't appear to be a huge need to rush Ronaldo back for the match with Ajax, as Juventus are functioning well as a unit without him.
In addition, Ronaldo's absence has given Moise Kean an opportunity in recent weeks. The 19-year-old has excelled too, netting the winning goal in the victory over Milan on Saturday after coming off the bench:
Broadcaster Mina Rzouki was full of praise for the teenager after he scored for the fourth game in a row for club and country:
With a settled defensive setup and midfield, Juventus should be confident of limiting Ajax. While the Dutch giants were excellent in knocking out Real Madrid in the previous round, a number of their key attacking players have been inconsistent this season.
Some stardust in the final third will be key if Juve are to take a lead back to Turin, and Kean has shown in recent outings he can provide that, be it from the start or from the bench. If Ronaldo is also ready for this encounter, it's a huge boost for the Italian champions.
