Cristiano Ronaldo has forged a formidable reputation over the years for his free-kick taking ability, but as things stand, the Portuguese star should be bottom of the Juventus pecking order.
Ronaldo has scored some sensational goals from dead-ball scenarios across his career; Manchester United vs Portsmouth and Real Madrid vs Marseille are two that spring to mind immediately.
His unique free-kick taking stance is also recognised and celebrated worldwide, and even to this day, a hush anticipation permeates any stadium when Ronaldo puffs out his cheeks and exhales a deep breath.
At Real, he was the undisputed number one set-piece taker, but having joined Juventus over the summer, he has come in for stern competition through free-kick virtuosos Miralem Pjanic and Paulo Dybala.
As such, Massimiliano Allegri has already taken the bold step to ban Ronaldo from taking free-kicks around the penalty area, instead preferring to utilise Pjanic and Dybala from close range.
On first glance, it appears an audacious move from the Italian coach, but there is logic to his method, and Squawka have the stats to prove why Allegri is right.
We asked Opta for free-kick taking statistics since 2015/16 for all three players. Below is how each player compares in Europe’s top five leagues in that time.
Miralem Pjanic
Direct Free Kick Shots (inc. Blocks): 59
Direct Free Kick Goals: 8
Direct Free Kick Conversion Rate: 13.56%
Set-piece specialist Juninho – a former Lyon teammate of Pjanic – has previously described the Juve playmaker as the “best” free-kick taker in the world, and coming from a man who scored 44 of his 100 goals for Les Gones from dead-ball situations, that comment should not be taken lightly.
The Bosnian is one of the finest set-piece takers across the continent, and it should come as no surprise that Allegri has entrusted him with close-range free-kicks, such is his outstanding technique, extraordinary vision and unwavering composure.
The 28-year-old has scored eight direct free-kicks in the Serie A from 59 attempts since the 2015/16 season for both Roma and the Old Lady respectively, giving the midfield marvel a conversion rate of 13.56% – to put his goals into perspective, only Lionel Messi has scored more in that timeframe.
Paulo Dybala
Direct Free Kick Shots (inc. Blocks): 40
Direct Free Kick Goals: 8
Direct Free Kick Conversion Rate: 20.00%
Not only a great goalscorer, but also a scorer of great goals, Dybala is a sophisticated and versatile forward capable producing unimaginable moments in the mere blink of an eye, and nowhere has he produced those special moments more than from set-piece scenarios.
Aptly named “The Jewel,” Dybala has scored a number of delectable curling free-kicks across his career, drawing widespread comparisons with Argentine compatriot Lionel Messi – and as a left-footed player, this gives Juve great diversity from free-kicks.
Since the 2015/16 season – the year he joined Juve from Palermo – the 24-year-old has netted eight league goals from 40 attempts on goal, making his conversion rate 20.00%, some 6.44% higher than Pjanic, and again, with only Messi scoring more in that period.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Direct Free Kick Shots (inc. Blocks): 64
Direct Free Kick Goals: 2
Direct Free Kick Conversion Rate: 3.13%
Ronaldo scored over 300 La Liga goals for Los Blancos during his time in the Spanish capital, and he netted some stunning free-kicks right out of the top drawer as well, but it should be noted that of his 311 league goals, only 20 were free-kicks – and he took 301 in total.
That leaves the Portuguese ace with a conversion rate of only 6.6%, and despite reigniting his free-kick fuse during the World Cup with his late equaliser against Spain, the 33-year-old’s influence from dead-ball scenarios has significantly waned since the 2015/16 season.
Ronaldo has netted just two league goals in that period but has had the third-most attempts (64) of any player. That leaves him with a conversion rate of just 3.13%, which is 10.43% less than Pjanic, and incredibly 16.87% less than Dybala.
Allegri has clearly been doing the maths, and on the evidence of league free-kick goals since 2015/16, the Italian coach has made the right call in relieving Ronaldo of his close-range free-kick duties.
READ MORE: Juventus vs Manchester United match preview and predictions
The post Max Allegri is right: Ronaldo should be nowhere near Juventus’ free kicks appeared first on Squawka News.
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