According to reports in Italy, Cristiano Ronaldo would not receive any punishment for his outburst after he was substituted against AC Milan.
Ronaldo was obviously angered when Dybala took his place in the 55th minute making it the second time in a row not taking part on the pitch for the full 90 minutes.
Reports alleged Ronaldo called coach Maurizio Sarri a ‘son of a whore’ before walking down the tunnel to the changing rooms.
The Portuguese risk getting a two-year ban for allegedly storming out of the stadium before due time but according to Gazzetta dello Sport, the 34-year-old will also not be fined for his outburst at Sarri but will be expected to apologise to his team-mates for not returning to the bench.
Ronaldo’s outburst and lack of punishment has brought to light how he is above the law in Turin – something Sarri will have to get used to, according to Corriere dello Sport.
Fabio Paratici Juve’s sporting director contacted Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes to clear up the matter and identify any issues the player has.
On the other hand, Maurizio Sarri has jumped in to defend the player, saying he understands his frustrations attributing his substitution to injury.
‘We must thank Ronaldo because he made a sacrifice to be there at all tonight in a difficult situation,’ Sarri explained.
‘He did everything possible to play, but I saw he was not well and thought it best to take him off.
‘It’s only natural a player is going to be irritated to leave the pitch, especially when he worked so hard to be there.
‘Over the last month, he has had this little knee problem, he had a knock in training and it hurt the collateral ligament.
‘When he trains at high intensity or plays, it unbalances him, so he ends up overcompensating and it damages the calf and thigh muscles.
‘It is affecting his performances and he is not at his best at the moment.
‘All players who are trying to give their best will have at least five minutes of being annoyed when they are substituted, but a coach would, in general, be much more worried if he didn’t seem upset.’
Meanwhile, Ronaldo has refused to make any comments on the issue even on his Instagram handle where he only shared:
‘Difficult game, important victory! #until the end.’
