Cristiano Ronaldo GOAT 770 moment overshadowed by SHOCK Juventus defeat

Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo scored thrice against Cagliari to become the official highest goalscorer in the history of the game, surpassing Brazilian great Pele. And his efforts were well recognised by the Turin-based outfit. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was presented with a special shirt, imprinted with G.O.A.T (Greatest of all time) at the back, with 770 imprinted below it — suggesting his goal tally, by president Andrea Agnelli.

Juventus vs Benevento highlights: Cristiano Ronaldo GOAT 770 shirt unveiled, but Bianconeri suffer 

President Agnelli presented the Cristiano Ronaldo GOAT 770 shirt ahead of Juventus' Serie A fixture against Benevento. The video of the shirt presentation was tweeted by the defending Italian champions as the Juventus president and Ronaldo appeared to be all smiles throughout. Ironically, Juventus went on to concede a defeat against Benevento soon after.

The Bianconeri had some decent chances to bag the lead early in the game, with Ronaldo and Alvaro Morata on target. The Portuguese forward even struck the ball into the post in the 38th minute, only for the linesman to rule it offside. Benevento took most of the missed opportunities and arrived with a different tactic in the second half.

The change in tactic — to look for loopholes in Juventus' defence paved rich dividends when Benevento bagged the lead in the 69th minute. Arthur Melo mistimed a pass at the back only for Adolfo Gaich to latch on to it before firing it past the goal line. Ronaldo struck a shot from a tight angle in the final minute of the game, but Benevento shot-stopper Lorenzo Montipò stood firm to deny the equaliser. 

Cristiano Ronaldo will continue at Juventus 

The defeat further casts doubts on Andrea Pirlo's ability to manage the defending Serie A champions. Moreover, the Cristiano Ronaldo transfer news has been doing the rounds for quite some time, linking him with a return to Real Madrid. Rumours of his exit gained momentum, after the Champions League exit against FC Porto, in particular. 

But Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici has rubbished the Cristiano Ronaldo transfer news. Speaking to Sky Sports, Paratici has confirmed that the Turin based outfit has decided to keep Ronaldo. "He’s the best player in the world and he’ll stay with us," concluded Paratici. 

Serie A table and Juventus schedule update 

Meanwhile, the defeat sees Juventus slip further in the Serie A title race. The Turin-based outfit sits third in the Serie A table, having racked up 55 points in 27 games. The defending champions trail by a massive 10 points against current league leaders Inter Milan. Juventus next play Torino on Saturday, April 3. 

Image courtesy: Juventus Twitter