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What's the story?
Juventus midfielder Blaise Matuidi has revealed the kind of influence that the presence of Portuguese ace Cristiano Ronaldo has left on the team.
Things have been going very well for the Old Lady lately and according to Matuidi, the presence of Ronaldo in the team has made it even better.
In case you didn't know...
Initially, Ronaldo had a lot to prove to the Serie A club following his £105 million move from Real Madrid.
Having drawn blanks in the Old Lady's first three games against Chievo, Lazio and Frosinone, the world was eager to see the Portuguese get back to goal-scoring ways.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner did not take long to adapt, scoring not one, but two goals against Sassoulo.
Ronaldo has now netted seven goals in his first 10 Serie A starts, equalling a 61-year-old record.
The record was set by Welsh striker, John Charles in the 1957-58 season, in which he finished as the top scorer in the league, having netted 28 times.
Ronaldo beat players like Gonzalo Higuaín, Carlos Tévez and Filippo Inzaghi who all scored six goals in their first 10 Serie A fixtures.
The heart of the matter
Speaking about the Portuguese star's influence to RMC Sport, Matuidi said, "We were all dead tired after the match against Manchester United and the day after, except Cristiano."
"He’s been working like crazy ever since he got here. He’s been at it more than anyone else and he told me he ‘had to’ behave like that."
"That’s why at 33, he’s been an example for all of us and given us an extra stimulus. His influence isn’t limited to his work during the week."
The Juventus man added, "Everyone feels much stronger alongside him. He’s a leader in this sense."
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What's next?
Ronaldo still has a long way to go to carve out a legacy at Juventus, but going by his recent performances, he will surely be successful.
Juventus, who are currently the Serie A table-toppers, will go head-to-head with Cagliari on Sunday.
