Breaking: Ronaldo Sent Off in Controversial Champions League ClashBreaking: Ronaldo Sent Off in Controversial Champions League Clash Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was controversially sent off in the first half of the Champions League quarter-final first leg clash against Valencia at the Mestalla Stadium. In the 29th minute, Ronaldo was involved in a tussle with Valencia defender Jeison Murillo, who went down to the ground holding his face. After consulting with the video assistant referee (VAR), referee Felix Brych deemed Ronaldo’s actions to be violent conduct and issued him with a straight red card. Ronaldo was visibly furious and left the pitch arguing his case, with Juventus left to play the remaining 60 minutes with only 10 men. The Portuguese forward has been a talismanic figure for Juventus this season, and his absence will be a major blow to the team’s hopes of progression in the competition. Juventus’ coach, Massimiliano Allegri, said after the match: “Ronaldo is an important player for us, but we have to move on from this. We had a great reaction after the red card, and we created some good chances. We can still win the tie in the second leg.” Valencia took advantage of the numerical advantage, and Rodrigo Moreno scored a stunning free-kick in the 44th minute to give the hosts the lead going into half-time. The second half was a tense affair, with both teams having chances to add to their tally. However, the score remained 1-0, leaving Juventus with a mountain to climb in the second leg in Turin on March 12th.
