Agency Report — Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo bids farewell to Andrea Pirlo following the club’s decision to relieve him of his duties and rehire Massimiliano Allegri. After the sacking of Pirlo, the 36-year-old forward took to his Instagram profile to send a farewell message to the former midfielder.
“Thank you Maestro, it was an honor to be coached by you,” Cristiano posted on his Instagram story (via Daily Mirror), along with a picture of him and Pirlo shaking hands.
Pirlo’s brief spell at the Allianz Arena saw him lead Juventus to the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italia. However, the Italian tactician paid the ultimate price for handing the Serie A title over to bitter rivals Inter Milan and fail to impress in the UEFA Champions League.
Even though Juventus chief Fabio Paratici promised to keep Pirlo in Turin if the latter secured Champions League football, the Bianconeri proved to have zero tolerance for mediocre results.
During the 42-year-old’s tenure, Juve’s nine-year reign in Serie A was brought to a halt, with Porto ending their Champions League run in the round of 16. Now, it’s up to Allegri to carry the team back to their usual heights, as he used to do during his previous stint at the club.
Allegri’s reappointment has raised doubts over Ronaldo’s future in Turin amid speculations the new manager is not a big fan of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Heavily linked with a blockbuster return to Manchester United, the Portugal captain has just over a year left to run on his current contract in Italy.
Meanwhile, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is desperate to bolster his attacking options in the summer to close the gap on Manchester City next season. The Norwegian manager keeps Ronaldo in high esteem and could launch a summer assault on the ex-Real Madrid talisman if the opportunity presents itself.
The player himself has yet to provide any update on his future, which leaves his inclinations open to interpretation. But with the transfer window just around the corner, we may not have to wait too long to find out where Ronaldo’s future belongs.
