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Cristiano Ronaldo: Real Madrid claim made about Juventus star after Roma triumph
CRISTIANO RONALDO’s absence at Real Madrid shouldn’t worry the club’s supporters because they have “many champions” in their team.
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That's the opinion of Eusebio Di Francesco after his Roma side lost 3-0 to Real last night.
The reigning European champions started their 2018-19 Champions League campaign with a deserved victory thanks to goals from Isco, Gareth Bale and Mariano Diaz at the Bernabeu.
At the same time Ronaldo was making headlines after being controversially sent off as Juve beat Real’s La Liga rivals Valencia 2-0 in Group H.
That was his first outing in the Champions League - in which he is the top all-time goalscorer - since his £88million move to Juve in July.
The Portuguese winger was Real’s talisman throughout his nine-year stint in the Spanish capital and scored 450 goals in 438 games in all competitions.
Ronaldo’s contributions helped Los Blancos to three straight Champions League triumphs and it was expected that the club’s continental dominance would wane in his absence.
But Julen Lopetegui’s charges have started the season strongly, unbeaten in the league with three wins from four after drawing at Athletic Bilbao last weekend.
With Ronaldo gone, Karim Benzema in particular has enjoyed a new lease of life as Madrid’s lead front-man with Gareth Bale also sharing the goals and Isco another strong performer.
They have many players of the calibre to compensate for Ronaldo's departure.
And Roma boss Di Francesco declared post-match that the Spanish heavyweights should still be confident of success without Ronaldo because of the options available to them.
“If I were a Real Madrid supporter, I wouldn't worry too much about Cristiano Ronaldo's absence," the Italian tactician said after Roma’s defeat.
"I expected them to be this good, they have already shown it in many matches.
"They have many players of the calibre to compensate for Ronaldo's departure, they have many champions."
That followed comments in the build up to their clash in which he named attacking midfielder Marco Asensio - who almost scored an exquisite goal against Roma - as the man to succeed Ronaldo as the club’s talisman.
"Real Madrid will continue to win a lot, they aren't known as Real Ronaldo," Di Francesco said.
"In Italy, as in Spain, judgements are made too quickly and Marco Asensio is a player I like very much, he's the future of Real Madrid.
"He can be very good for the team and he expresses himself in matches at a very high level."
Di Francesco was also asked after the match about Ronaldo’s battle with former team-mate Luka Modric to win UEFA’s The Best award later this month.
There has been much debate as to whether Modric, who reached the World Cup final with Croatia, should edge Ronaldo for the accolade.
Weighing in, Di Francesco backed Modric to take the crown.
He said: “I think what he's done with both his club and his national team shows he deserves it.
"His performances in the World Cup were extraordinary. However, at Real Madrid there are many players who deserve it."