Juventus fall to Barcelona without Covid-hit Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo missed Juventus' Champions League clash against Lionel Messi's Barcelona, two weeks after testing positive for coronavirus, with the Italian giants losing 2-0 in the home on Wednesday in his absence.
Messi, 33, create Ousmane Dembele to place Barca in the front after quarter of an hour in Turin, adding another himself from the penalty spot in stoppage time.
Alvaro Morata had three goals ruled out for offside for Juve who played the ultimate five minutes a guy down after Merih Demiral was sent off for another yellow card.
Barcelona are top of Group G with six points after two games with Juventus on three. The reverse fixture occurs at the Camp Nou on December 8.
"This is our best game all season," said Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman.
"This is a huge win against an important European side and we were able to play the football we're trying to impose.
"I'm very happy with the overall game and the type displayed by the team, it really is an excellent victory."
It was a first defeat for new Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo whose last game as a player for the Turin giants was a loss to Barcelona in the 2015 Champions League final.
"We knew it could be a hard game, they are further along the road, they have players more experienced in these games, while we are under construction," said Pirlo.
"We must grow. I hope to really have the other players back soon.
"I have no other solutions, those who play need to stay 90 minutes, so it is difficult when there are matches close together."
The 35-year-old Ronaldo, the most notable scorer in the annals of your competition with 130 goals, was furious at missing the game.
The Portuguese superstar had had a need to test negative a day before the game to be a part of his sixth Champions League meeting against Argentine Messi.
They have not faced off because the five-time Ballon d'Or winner left Real Madrid for Juventus in 2018.
Hours before kick-off, Ronaldo posted a photo on Instagram, stating: "Feeling good and healthy! Forza Juve! #finoallafine."
Adding a comment for his 241 million Instagram followers on the swab tests used to discover the virus, he said: "PCR IS BULLSHIT."
He later removed that post.
Ronaldo then posted a video of himself wearing the Juventus jersey running on a treadmill in his home gym, jumping off for his usual goal celebration before giving the thumbs up and wishing his teammates 'good luck'.
Ronaldo first tested positive for Covid-19 on October 13 while using Portugal, and has been in self-isolation since time for Italy.
He has reportedly tested positive 18 times.
- Barca get over Clasico loss -
The loss might have been heavier for Juve as under-pressure Koeman's side bounced back after a 3-1 defeat against Real Madrid at the weekend followed a 1-0 loss to Getafe.
Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu also resigned on Tuesday together with his board of directors, following mounting pressure from fans and his public falling out with six-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi.
"Following the defeat against Real Madrid it had been important to log off to a good start," said defender Sergi Roberto.
"We're delighted, there are just two goals' difference but it could have been far more. We dominated, we created chances."
Barcelona were firing on all cylinders with three early chances.
Leonardo Bonucci closed down Messi with Wojciech Szczesny punching out a strike from former Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic and an Antoine Griezmann follow-up hitting the post.
The breakthrough came when Messi pinged a sublime cross-field ball for Dembele who ran at two defenders before his long-range strike deflected off Federico Chiesa and looped in over Szczesny.
Morata had the ball in the web just after however the goal was ruled offside after a VAR viewing, with Messi sending the ball wide after 23 minutes off a Griezmann back-heel flick.
Morata latched onto a Juan Cuadrado cross to carefully turn home after around 30 minutes, but again he was ruled offside. A VAR review then denied him for a third time on 55 minutes.
Juventus saw Demiral dismissed in the closing minutes, and Messi sealed victory from the spot carrying out a foul by Federico Bernardeschi on Ansu Fati for his 117th Champions League goal.
