Miralem Pjanic shared this anecdote at the Festival dello Sport in Trento, Italy, revealing Cristiano Ronaldo's resolute approach to free kicks during their time at Juventus. The former midfielder for Roma, Juventus, and the Bosnia & Herzegovina national team noted that once Ronaldo decided to take a free kick, he would rarely allow a teammate to challenge him for it.

"With Ronaldo, it was genuinely difficult for me to take free kicks," Pjanic recalled. "Once he made up his mind, there was no other option. We literally had to get him off the field for me to take one."

Cristiano Ronaldo (left), Miralem Pjanic, and Paulo Dybala (right) react during a Serie A match between Juventus and Cagliari at Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy, on 6/1/2020. *AFP*

According to Pjanic, Allegri once devised a clever solution for this predicament. During a Juventus away game against Napoli in March 2019, Ronaldo won a direct free kick. The Portuguese forward then fell to the ground, clutching his knee.

Allegri immediately called the medical team onto the pitch to tend to Ronaldo. This brief absence from the field created an opportunity for Pjanic to take the free kick. "Cristiano Ronaldo won the free kick; I believe goalkeeper Meret was sent off for the foul," Pjanic continued. "Coach Max Allegri saw Cristiano on the ground, touching his knee, and promptly summoned the medical staff."

"The free kick was too tempting, so he got Cristiano off the pitch and let me take it. I scored," the Bosnian midfielder stated. "That was the only way I could get the ball, so I have to thank the coach."

This incident occurred in the opening minutes of Juventus's 2-1 victory over Napoli at San Paolo Stadium on 3/3/2019. Pjanic converted the free kick, scoring the opening goal for Juventus. At that moment, Ronaldo was also near the ball but did not take a run-up, likely due to having just received medical attention, thus ceding the opportunity to Pjanic.

Pjanic was a recognized free-kick specialist for Juventus, consistently taking on this role before Ronaldo's arrival. Once Ronaldo joined, he took a significantly higher number of free kicks. The Portuguese superstar attempted 98 direct free kicks in Serie A during his Juventus tenure but managed to score only one goal from them.

Pjanic played alongside Ronaldo at Juventus from 2018 to 2020, gaining firsthand insight into his teammate's playing habits. The Bosnian midfielder views Ronaldo as a player with an exceptional drive. When comparing him to the two most famous teammates he has played with, Pjanic acknowledged Lionel Messi's talent but highlighted Ronaldo's unique competitive spirit and determination.

"Cristiano is truly special," Pjanic added. "With him, you always begin a match with a 1-0 advantage. He is obsessed with scoring goals. His mental fortitude should be a subject taught in schools."

Pjanic also defended Ronaldo amidst ongoing discussions about the 41-year-old forward's future with the Portuguese national team. He believes the current challenges largely arise from a disparity between the coaching staff's intended use of Ronaldo and the player's personal aspirations.

According to Pjanic, Ronaldo prioritizes his potential contributions over his age. The forward desires to play as much as possible, whereas the coach might seek to manage his playing time to align with the team's overall strategy.

The former Juventus midfielder expressed hope that Ronaldo and the Portuguese national team can find common ground to conclude this chapter favorably. Pjanic believes Ronaldo merits a farewell that appropriately reflects his significant contributions to the national team.

Hoang An (according to Goal)