Fabio Paratici Says Cristiano Ronaldo Will Be a Juventus Player Next Season

Juventus chief football officer Fabio Paratici has made assurances Cristiano Ronaldo will still be at the club next season because he "wants to win another Ballon d'Or with us."

Ronaldo finished third in the 2019 Ballon d'Or standings on Monday as Lionel Messi won the award for the sixth time:

The Portuguese superstar opted to skip the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris, instead attending the Gran Gala awards in Milan to receive his Serie A Most Valuable Player gong for last term:

On the red carpet at the event, Paratici was asked if Ronaldo was becoming a problem for Juve after a lacklustre start to the new campaign.

Per Sky Sport Italia (h/t Football Italia), he said:

"I smile because there are other problems. He wanted this award [Serie A MVP] because he is an ambitious person, and he wants to show he is also the best here. In our opinion, he deserves the Ballon d’Or.

"He will be at Juventus next season, without a doubt. He wants to win another Ballon d’Or with us, and we support him."

Ronaldo, 34, has yet to find his best form for Juventus this term under new manager Maurizio Sarri.

He has netted only six goals in 11 Serie A appearances in 2019-20—three of which have been penalties—and just one in five appearances in the UEFA Champions League.

It is not as though the former Manchester United and Real Madrid man's remarkable scoring feats have deserted him, though.

For Portugal, Ronaldo continues to astonish with the volume of his return in front of goal.

In the eight games Fernando Santos' side have played since June, Ronaldo has scored 14 goals to edge himself closer to another historic landmark:

Fitness has been a problem for Ronaldo this season. He has twice been substituted by Sarri and missed out entirely on November's 3-1 win at Atalanta.

In Sunday's 2-2 draw with Sassuolo, though, Ronaldo scored his first club goal since October, and Juve will hope he can find the net again in Saturday's visit to Lazio.