Ronaldo makes debut as Juve hit back at Chievo

Juventus opened their quest for an eighth straight Serie A title with a last-gasp 3-2 at Chievo yesterday, producing a lukewarm season start despite the debut of new signing Cristiano Ronaldo.
Sami Khedira scored an early opener as Juve took control in Verona, only to be stunned by Mariusz Stepinski’s header on 38 minutes and fall behind when their former winger Emanuele Giaccherini converted a penalty on 56. On own goal from Mattia Bani put Juve level again at 2-2.
Ronaldo forced two tough saves from veteran Stefano Sorrentino before substitute Federico Bernardeschi turned in a low cross in stoppage time. “Beside the goal, I am happy because we got three points here in Verona, with this heat,” said Bernardeschi, who came on on 56 minutes.
“It is important to play with the heart, despite the champions we have. It can happen that you lose pace, we know it is hard to be focused early in the season.”
Khedira slammed home in the third off a Giorgio Chiellini header and the Bianconeri came close from Juan Cuadrado and twice with Ronaldo before Stepinski was free to nod past his Polish compatriot Wojciech Szczesny.
A Joao Cancelo foul on Giaccherini allowed the home winger to put the hosts ahead, which triggered the Bianconeri’s fierce reaction with missed chances from substitutes Bernardeschi and Mario Mandzukic and the in-form Ronaldo.
Leonardo Bonucci, who is back after a lacklustre season at AC Milan, pounced on a corner kick and forced Bani’s unlucky deflection on 77 before video review disallowed a Mandzukic goal for a Ronaldo foul on Sorrentino, who left the pitch with a head injury before Bernardeschi’s winner. The winger connected with a low feed by Alex Sandro three minutes into stoppage time.
It was a low-key start for the Ronaldo in Verona’s Stadio Bentegodi yesterday on a day of national mourning for the victims of the Morandi bridge tragedy in the north-western port city. The emotional impact of the disaster has led to the postponement of Serie A games involving local teams Sampdoria and Genoa who had been due to open their campaigns against Fiorentina and AC Milan. A minute’s silence will be held before each match with the players taking to the pitch wearing black armbands.
Lazio and Napoli were playing in a late match in Rome last night. Napoli turn back to their quest for a first title since the days of Argentine star Diego Maradona in 1987 and 1990 after pushing Juventus to the line last season.
After claiming a record 91 points for a league runner-up, Maurizio Sarri exited the club for Chelsea with Italian Carlo Ancelotti making his return to Serie A for the first time in nearly a decade.