FILE – In this March 8, 2020 file photo, Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo runs with the ball during the last Serie A soccer match Juventus played before the coronavirus stop, at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, Italy. Cristiano Ronaldo has reported back to Juventus’ training center after a 10-week absence. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)
Cristiano Ronaldo reported to Juventus’ training center for medical tests on Tuesday after a 10-week absence.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner observed a two-week isolation period at his home in Turin after spending the lockdown period in his native Portugal.
He has not been alongside his teammates since helping the Serie A leaders beat Inter Milan 2-0 on March 8, after which he flew to his home island of Madeira, Portugal.
Serie A was suspended a day later when the Italian government ordered a nationwide lockdown. The league is hoping to resume on June 13 if it can reach an agreement with the government, which has banned sports events until June 14.
Outside the training center in Turin, journalists and photographers plus some fans were on hand when Ronaldo arrived alone driving a Jeep. He’s the first of several Juventus players who left Italy during the lockdown to report back to the team.
Like all Serie A players, Ronaldo was to be tested for the coronavirus and undergo other physical exams.
Three Juventus players — Daniele Rugani, Blaise Matuidi and Paulo Dybala — tested positive for COVID-19 during the lockdown. All three recovered.
Ronaldo was in top form before the lockdown, scoring 21 times in 22 Serie A matches. In his penultimate game before the suspension, Ronaldo marked his 1,000th official match by scoring in his 11th straight Serie A game. That matched the Serie A record set by Gabriel Batistuta in 1994 and equaled by Fabio Quagliarella last season.
In his second season at Juventus, Ronaldo is on course to win a second straight Serie A title. The Bianconeri lead Lazio by one point.
In the Champions League, Juventus needs to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit to Lyon in the round of 16.
In the Italian Cup semifinals, Juventus drew with AC Milan 1-1 in the first leg courtesy of an added-time penalty from Ronaldo.