Cristiano Ronaldo set to feature for Juventus against Barcelona in Joan Gamper trophy clash

Cristiano Ronaldo is all set to make his pre-season debut for Juventus in the Joan Gamper trophy clash against Barcelona tonight. The highly anticipated pre-season clash will most likely see the Juventus superstar take the field as part of a 4-3-3 attacking trio, according to la Gazetta Dello Sport.

The match was billed as a potential Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo encounter. But with Messi no longer part of Barcelona, all eyes will now be on Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be hoping to inspire Juventus to European glory in the coming season.

The 5-time Ballon d’Or winner was given some extra time off after his Euro 2020 exertions for Portugal and missed Juventus’ friendlies against Cesena and Monza. With Ronaldo finally back in action, it will be interesting to see how the superstar fares in Allegri’s tactical setup tonight.

Also read: Barcelona vs Juventus prediction, preview, team news and more | Joan Gamper Trophy 2021

Cristiano Ronaldo set to stay at Juventus; Barcelona planning for life without Lionel Messi

While Lionel Messi’s departure from Barcelona has now been confirmed, there has been intense speculation regarding Cristiano Ronaldo’s future at Juventus as well. However, Juventus vice-chairman Pavel Nedved, speaking to Sky Sports in July, confirmed that Ronaldo would be staying at the club:

“Ronaldo has been called up for July 26, he’ll be back on Monday and will stay with us.”

Barcelona, on the other hand, will need to adjust to life without their greatest ever player. The Catalan giants were expected to announce a new deal for Lionel Messi before their pre-season clash against Juventus. However, Barcelona’s financial situation has forced them to let go of their star man.

With Cristiano Ronaldo in action at the Camp Nou tonight, Allegri will be keen to see how the Portuguese superstar fits into his tactical set-up. Alvaro Morata and Dejan Kulusevski are expected to start with Ronaldo as part of a front 3, while Aaron Ramsey is expected to play alongside Weston McKennie in a new slightly deeper midfield role.

Barcelona will most probably start with a combination of Memphis Depay and Antoine Griezmann up-front, while Sergio Aguero could also make his first appearance in a Blaugrana jersey tonight.

With Lionel Messi no longer part of Barcelona, it will be interesting to see what kind of tactical role Antoine Griezmann plays tonight against Juventus. The Joan Gamper trophy is one of the most anticipated pre-season clashes of the year with stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Griezmann, Depay and Alvaro Morata expected to take center stage.

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