Gianluigi Buffon Feels Juventus Lost Their ‘DNA’ When They Signed Cristiano Ronaldo

Gianluigi Buffon Feels Juventus Lost Their ‘DNA’ When They Signed Cristiano Ronaldo. Legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has revealed that Juventus lost their “DNA” when they signed Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid in 2018. When Cristiano Ronaldo came in 2018, Buffon remarked that Juventus had a good chance of winning the Champions League. In the quarterfinals, though, the Old Lady fell to AFC Ajax. Despite the team’s success, the 43-year-old goalkeeper feels Juventus has lost its distinctive club DNA.

Buffon told TUDN.com (as reported by the Daily Mail):

“Juventus had the chance to win the Champions League the first year he arrived, which was the year I was at Paris Saint-Germain, and I couldn’t figure out what happened. When I returned, I worked with CR7 (Cristiano Ronaldo) for two years and we did well together, but I think Juventus lost that DNA of being a team.”

Juventus reached the Champions League final, according to Buffon, because they worked as a team. After Ronaldo’s arrival, this could no longer be claimed.

“We reached the Champions League final in 2017 because we were a side full of experience, but above all we were a single unit and there was this competition for places within the group that was very strong. We lost that with Ronaldo.”

Gianluigi Buffon believes Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival at Juventus led to them losing their "DNA of being a team" 😳 pic.twitter.com/6jgGtCFRkg

— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) December 24, 2021

Cristiano Ronaldo won two Serie A championships and a Copa Italia during his stint at Juventus. Despite bringing in a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, the Old Lady did not come close to winning the Champions League.

Cristiano Ronaldo spent three seasons with Juventus, but the Old Lady never advanced beyond the Champions League quarterfinals. Lyon and FC Porto, respectively, knocked the Serie A giants out in the Round of 16 in 2020 and 2021. The 36-year-old attacker scored 101 goals in 134 games for Juventus during his three seasons in Turin.

Ronaldo returned to Manchester United after leaving Juventus in the summer of 2021. In 18 appearances for the Red Devils in all competitions, the 36-year-old attacker has scored 13 goals.

The former Real Madrid great is still performing at the highest level in the Champions League. Cristiano Ronaldo has six goals in five group matches this season. His total included a brace against Atalanta in Italy. The 36-year-old attacker is Manchester United’s highest scorer this season.