Ronaldo's red card overshadows Juve win

Juventus started their quest for the Champions League crown with a 2-0 win over Valencia, but it was a red card for their newly acquired talisman Cristiano Ronaldo that dominated headlines.

A tearful Ronaldo left the pitch in disbelief in the 29th minute, having aimed a petulant, but seemingly harmless, kick at Valencia defender Jeison Murillo during their Group H encounter at the Mestalla yesterday morning (Singapore time), reported AFP.

The Portuguese star then made contact with Murillo's head while urging him to get up.

Ronaldo dropped to the floor like the tournament was lost after German official Felix Brych brandished the red card but Juve showed more composure, Miralem Pjanic scoring twice from the penalty spot to clinch a comfortable 2-0 win.

It remains to be seen how Uefa will judge Ronaldo's offence, and dissent, but he is set to miss the next Champions League game at home to Young Boys on Oct 2.

But if Uefa metes out a longer ban, then he will be out for their following Champions League matches - a double-header against his former club Manchester United on Oct 24 and Nov 8.

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri bemoaned the lack of a video assistant referee (VAR), which will be implemented only next season after the technology was used, largely successfully, at the World Cup.

"I can only say that VAR would have helped the referee make the right decision," Allegri said.

"Going down to 10 men in the Champions League for an incident like that is disappointing.

"We risked losing tonight with that and we'll miss him for the next games too."

Former English Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg, and Juventus' Leonardo Bonucci and Pjanic also came to Ronaldo's defence.

Bonucci insisted that Murillo had provoked Ronaldo first, reported football-italia.net.

"As far as I could see, it was a pretty normal clash. Murillo put his hands on Ronaldo first, he reacted," said Bonucci.

"But these things can happen and we must be stronger than everyone and everything."

Pjanic called the sending-off absurd on the club's website. He said: "Football is a strange game. We could have been 4-0 up after the opening period, then came that absurd sending-off."

Clattenburg wrote in the Daily Mail column: "If I had been officiating this game, I would have given Valencia a free-kick and shown a yellow card to each player. Ronaldo will serve a one-match ban, but anything more would be harsh."

Former Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher, meanwhile, said that while it was a soft sending-off, it was still a punishable offence.

He said on BBC Radio 5 live: "It was a soft sending-off for Ronaldo, but the letter of the law says you probably cannot do that, so the one-match ban will probably stick."

Valencia fans celebrated Ronaldo's dismissal at the Estadio Mestalla like a goal had been scored but, in truth, their team missed a golden chance to gain a foothold in Group H.

GULF IN STANDARDS

Instead, Ronaldo's absence had little effect. The Italian side won - with ease.

Valencia coach Marcelinho was left to rue the gulf in standards. He said: "We are not prepared to compete consistently with teams at this level."

Valencia had openings too but lacked punch. Michy Batshuayi, on his first start for the club, twisted round Giorgio Chiellini but was denied at the near post. Then, instead of capitalising on Ronaldo's sending-off, Valencia twice capitulated.

First, midfielder Daniel Parejo missed a high ball and kicked Joao Cancelo before Murillo took a risk by bundling down Bonucci.

Pjanic stepped up for both spot-kicks and scored both, the first on the stroke of half-time, the next six minutes after.

Valencia probed but even when Daniele Rugani collided with Gabriel Paulista for a third penalty, Parejo's shot was saved by Wojciech Szczesny. There was never any hint of a comeback.