Juventus 3-0 Crotone: Player ratings as Cristiano Ronaldo leads Bianconeri to victory
Cristiano Ronaldo scored two headers in the first half to inspire Juventus to a 3-0 Serie A victory over last-placed Crotone on Monday night.
Juventus came into the clash without a win in their last three matches. They were hoping to bounce back from back-to-back losses against FC Porto and Napoli in the Champions League and Serie A respectively.
The visitors, meanwhile, came to Allianz Stadium on the back of a four-game losing streak.
In what turned out to be a very one-sided affair, Juventus took the game to Crotone, sending in wave after wave of attacks.
Though they failed to initially capitalize on the visitor's poor defense, a quick-fire double from Cristiano Ronaldo late in the first half handed Juventus a two-goal lead going into the break.
The Juventus star beat the offside trap to nod home an Alex Sandro cross before sending another thumping header past Crotone goalkeeper Alex Cordaz from Aaron Ramsey’s cross.
In the second half, Juventus continued to look to widen their lead. Weston McKennie grabbed their third goal of the night with a brilliant strike from close range.
The Crotone attack proved toothless, as they failed to hit back with a response and Juventus controlled proceedings until the full-time whistle was blown.
The result now sees Juventus cut the gap with second-place AC Milan to four points - potentially one point, should they win their game in hand. Crotone remain rock-bottom with relegation looming large.
Juventus Player Ratings
Gianluigi Buffon - 7/10
The veteran Juventus goalkeeper had almost nothing to do all game. He had to made just one save against the toothless Crotone attack to see out the game and secure the three points.
Danilo - 7/10
The Juventus full-back offered little in attack, but he performed his defensive duties diligently. The Brazilian was always on hand to provide an extra body in the box, and he repeatedly put his body on the line to block goal-bound shots.
Matthijs de Ligt - 7.5/10
The Netherlands international performed excellently in limiting the goal-scoring threats of the visitors as he repelled their constant wave of counter attacks.
Merih Demiral - 7/10
Demiral's fine form this season continued against Crotone. He paired well with De Ligt at the heart of the defense. With the visitor's attack failing to truly test Juventus, he made one tackle and one interception.
Alex Sandro - 7/10
One of Juventus’s best performers. The full-back was brimming with confidence as he put in a superb shift down the left flank. He was solid at both ends of the pitch and finished the game winning 100% of his duels. He also made four key passes and the assist for Cristiano Ronaldo’s opener.
Sandro should have gotten on the scoresheet when he fired his left-footed strike into the side netting in the first half.
Weston McKennie- 7/10
The Brazilian kept play ticking for his side, but was sometimes slower than the pace of the game in the first half. He grew into the action in the second half and grabbed Juventus' third goal with a ferocious strike inside the box following a corner.
Rodrigo Bentancur - 7/10
The Uruguayan was utterly dominant in the midfield. He finished with three interceptions and two tackles while winning multiple duels and tackles.
Federico Chiesa - 6.5/10
Despite not getting on the scoresheet, Chiesa was one of the star performers for the Bianconeri. He won four of his six take-on attempts while creating multiple scoring chances. He was replaced by Bernardeschi late in the game.
Aaron Ramsey - 6.5/10
The former Arsenal man was played in an unfamiliar left midfield position, and struggled for most of the game. He missed two glorious first-half opportunities to open the scoring for Juventus.
However, with half-time approaching, Ramsey set up Ronaldo for his second goal of the game when he raced to the byline before delivering a lofted cross into the area for the Portuguese to head home.
Dejan Kulusevski - 6.5/10
The Juventus forward was uncharacteristically quiet in the first half, but he came to life after the break. His quick feet won Juventus a free-kick in a dangerous area early in the second half, when he was hacked after beating his marker with a brilliant turn. However, he lacked decisiveness in the final third and was replaced by Alvaro Morata with 15 minutes left on the clock.
Cristiano Ronaldo - 8/10
The 36-year-old continues to age like fine wine as his quick-fire double inspired Juventus to the win. After a quiet start to the game, riddled with several missed chances, Ronaldo broke the deadlock in the 38th minute with a well-placed header. He rose the highest once more to meet Aaron Ramsey’s cross for his second goal of the night.
Ronaldo has now 70 goals for Juventus in Serie A since his move from Real Madrid three seasons ago.
Player ratings of Juventus Substitutes
Nicolo Fagiolo - 6.5/10
A tireless display from the Juventus youngster. He won four ground duels, completed all his take-on attempts and kept his passes simple with a 90% accuracy. An impressive cameo off the bench.
Alvaro Morata - 5.5/10
The Spaniard was rather passive when he came on for the final 15 minutes of the game. He came close to grabbing a goal from a corner-kick with his first touch of the game, but could only direct his shot well off target.
Federico Bernardeschi - 6.5/10
With the game pretty much decided, Bernardeschi was brought on to keep the ball moving in midfield, and he did just that.
Alessandro Di Pardo - N/A
The Juventus youngster replaced Federico Chiesa in the 86th minute and made no telling contribution.
Gianluca Frabotta - N/A
The Juventus full-back replaced the superb Alex Sandro.
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Sankalp Srivastava