Ronaldo eyeing Champions League glory at Juventus

Cristiano Ronaldo set his sights on winning the Champions League at Juventus but said his team-mates must focus on the competition without “obsession”.

Having won Europe’s biggest club prize once with Manchester United and four times with Real Madrid, Ronaldo has the opportunity to become the second player ever to have lifted the trophy with three different clubs, after Clarence Seedorf.

Juventus’ last triumph in the Champions League came in 1996, when they beat Ajax in the final, and they have since been runners-up five times.

Ronaldo is determined to take the Bianconeri back to the pinnacle of European football but warned it cannot be their sole priority.

“I want to win the Champions League with Juve,” he told DAZN.

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— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) August 5, 2018

“We’re going to focus on that, me and my team-mates, but no obsession. We’ll go step by step and then we’ll see if it’s this year, next year or in three years.

“The focus for this club is to win Serie A, the Coppa Italia and, of course, do our best in the Champions League.”

Ronaldo’s Champions League exploits famously caught the eye in Turin last season, when his spectacular overhead kick in a 3-0 quarter-final victory for Madrid at the Allianz Stadium brought the home crowd to their feet.

The 33-year-old conceded that ovation was a factor in his deciding to join Juventus in a stunning €112million move.

“I can say the small details make a big difference at the end of the day. I would say what I saw in the stadium helped, to be honest,” he said.

“Unfortunately I scored that goal for my actual club but this is the past. It was, in my opinion, the best goal in my career so far.

“Of course, when the people in the stadium started to applaud me, I was like, ‘wow’. It surprised me a lot because this has never happened in my life. It was an unbelievable moment.”

Ronaldo does not expect any prolonged special treatment, having thrown himself into a gruelling pre-season under Massimiliano Allegri before Juventus battled to a 3-2 win at Chievo in their Serie A opener.

“We work hard here, all the time. It’s never an easy day here,” he continued.

“I like the way they train, the mentality. It’s good, they are very, very professional so this is why I am enjoying it.”

Ronaldo added: “I didn’t expect to play at this club but things come in a natural way. As everyone knows, Juve are one of the best clubs in the world so my decision was easy.

“Of course, Real Madrid, what I did there was unbelievable. I won everything at that club and have friends and family there but to move to this club was an easy decision.

“They did everything for me and gave me an opportunity. I want to make history at this club as well.”