Cristiano Ronaldo equals Messi Champions League record with stunning strike after Albanian rival TROLLS HIM with own celebration
Cristiano Ronaldo moved level with Lionel Messi on a record 70 Champions League goals at home stadiums as the Portuguese scored a rasping equalizer for Juventus against Hungarian underdogs Ferencvaros.
The visitors had taken a shock lead in the 19th minute in Turin when Albanian winger Myrto Uzuni poked home a volley, then cheekily pulling out CR7's own 'Sii' celebration on the Portuguese star's home turf.
Ferencvaros’ Myrto Uzuni hits the Ronaldo celebration after scoring on CR7’s home turf 💀 pic.twitter.com/fKRJLf4WcA
— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 24, 2020
Ronaldo then had a goal disallowed for offside, before leaving no doubt about his strike in the 35th minute when he cut inside from the right flank before firing a rasping low drive from the edge of the box past Denes Dibusz and into the Ferencvaros goal to level the scores.
CRISTIANO RONALDO WHAT A GOAL pic.twitter.com/lQ5nHw5QlS
— TC. (@totalcristiano) November 24, 2020
It moved the 35-year-old star to 70 goals in Champions League home games - a record stat he shares with perennial rival Messi.
70 - #CristianoRonaldo has scored 70 goals in Champions League home games: a joint-record for home goals in the history of the competition, level with Lionel Messi. Monsters.#ChampionsLeague#UCLpic.twitter.com/uU0HzYm1LI
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) November 24, 2020
Ronaldo's home strikes in Europe's premier club competition have come across his spells at Manchester United, Real Madrid and now Juventus - while one-club-man Messi's have all come at Barcelona's Nou Camp home.
The goal was Ronaldo's first in this season's Champions League and also meant he has netted in 15 consecutive editions of the competition - one behind Messi's record of 16.
Cristiano Ronaldo has now scored in 15 consecutive seasons in Champions League. #UCLpic.twitter.com/oXBe4EuXb5
— Forza Juventus (@ForzaJuveEN) November 24, 2020
The Portuguese forward extended his record as the competition's all-time top scorer on 131 goals - moving him 13 ahead of Messi, who was rested for Barcelona's trip to Ukraine to face Dynamo Kiev, also in Group G.
🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo in the Champions League:⚽️1⃣3⃣1⃣ GOALS👕1⃣7⃣2⃣ GAMES#UCLpic.twitter.com/Cxb5OSvt9h
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) November 24, 2020
The goal put Ronaldo on a remarkable 37 finishes in the calendar year, as the prolific five-time Ballon d'Or winner shows little sign of slowing down.
BREAKING: @Cristiano just scored his 37th goal in his 36th game of 2020. He’s 35. He’s also The 🐐 pic.twitter.com/gRlHPr0gcF
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) November 24, 2020
Despite the bright spot of Ronaldo's record-equaling strike, it looked like being a frustrating night for Andrea Pirlo's Juventus as they were locked at 1-1 with the Hungarian underdogs until Alvaro Morata sealed all three points with an injury time header which squirmed in off goalkeeper Dibusz.
MORATA WINNING GOAL 🔥#JuveFerencvaropic.twitter.com/HNRVAf8pds
— Juve Canal (@juvecanal2) November 24, 2020
Barcelona meanwhile won 4-0 in Kiev thanks to goals from Sergino Dest, Antoine Griezmann and Martin Braithwaite, who netted a double.
The results guarantee both Barcelona and Juventus spots in the knockout stages with two games to spare, with the Catalans top of Group G on four wins from four, while Juve are three points behind.
Juventus next host Kiev before a trip to Barcelona as Ronaldo will have the chance to line up against longtime rival Messi - having been deprived of that chance in the first game in Turin after testing positive for Covid-19.
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