‘Ronaldo will remain’: Juventus play down Cristiano exit before Udinese draw

Juventus vice-president Pavel Nedved has insisted that Cristiano Ronaldo will remain at the club this season, amid reports the Portuguese star requested to be left out of the starting XI against Udinese on Sunday in his bid to secure a move away from Turin.

No bids have been submitted from other clubs for Ronaldo, who was named a substitute’s bench by manager Massimiliano Allegri.

Nedved was keen to play down speculation that this was linked to the 36-year-old’s future. “We mustn’t try to create sensational stories where there aren’t any,” he told DAZN. “It was a decision shared with the player. At the start of the season, naturally he is not at top fitness. The coach is trying to use the best line-up at this moment, for example Giorgio Chiellini is also on the bench today.

“The decisions were made to be most competitive today,” Nedved continued. “I can absolutely confirm Ronaldo will remain at Juventus this season.”

Despite Juventus finishing second to Internazionale in the league last season, Ronaldo was Serie A’s top scorer with 29 goals and has one year remaining on his contract. Earlier this week, he appeared to play down rumours of a return to Real Madrid in an Instagram post, in which he stated that his story at the Bernabéu “has been written.”

Ronaldo has also been linked to PSG, Manchester City and even Sporting Lisbon, his first professional club.

Juventus drew 2-2 with Udinese, who came back from 2-0 down after goals from former Watford pair Roberto Pereyra and Gerard Deulofeu cancelled out strikes from Paulo Dybala and Juan Cuadrado. Ronaldo came off the bench in the second half and had the ball in the net, only for VAR to rule against Juventus and deny them what would have been a last-minute winner.

Gareth Bale scored his first goal in almost two years for Real Madrid in LaLiga but substitute Vinicius Jr stole the show with two late strikes to grab a 3-3 draw at Levante in a game that had it all.

Bale got Real off to a fine start in the fifth minute and Carlo Ancelotti’s side dominated the rest of the first half but found themselves 2-1 down early in the second period.

Levante striker Roger Martí beat Thibaut Courtois to level in the first minute after the interval before José Campaña put the hosts in front with a sensational volley in the 57th.

Ancelotti took off Bale, Eden Hazard and Isco moments after the goal and substitute Vinicius had a prompt impact, levelling in the 73rd minute with a coolly taken finish following a defence-splitting through ball from deep by Casemiro.

Levante restored their lead in the 79th though Roger Pier following a free kick but Vinicius again came to Real’s rescue, levelling in the 85th minute with an audacious shot in off the post from a tight angle.

More chaos was to come as Levante keeper Aitor Fernández was sent off for flying out of his area and handling the ball to stop a Real counter, leaving defender Rúben Vezo to don the gloves and protect the goal for the remaining few minutes.

In the Bundesliga, defending champions Bayern Munich secured their first win of the Bundesliga campaign with a 3-2 victory over battling Cologne thanks to two goals from Serge Gnabry and a Robert Lewandowski strike.

Gnabry thundered the winner past Cologne goalkeeper Timo Horn in the 71st minute of the contest at the Allianz Arena to settle his team’s nerves, after the visitors had struck through Anthony Modeste and Mark Uth to make it 2-2.

Ten-man Union Berlin drew 2-2 with Hoffenheim, with Taiwo Awoniyi netting a second-half equaliser, after team mate Niko Giesselmann had scored the opener in the 10th minute.

Ligue 1 newcomers Clermont Foot fought back from two goals down to salvage a 3-3 draw at Lyon after second half substitute Elbasan Rashani netted a superb double to continue their good start in the top flight.

In the day’s other matches, Montpellier celebrated a comeback 3-1 home win over Lorient, Strasbourg were held to a 1-1 draw by visiting Troyes and Angers earned a 1-1 draw at Bordeaux.

Metz were also held to a 1-1 home draw by Reims, with home manager Frédéric Antonetti and his counterpart Óscar García shown red cards for dissent by referee Florent Batta in the 87th minute of a contest littered by fouls.

The results left Clermont, who had never played in the top tier before, third in the standings on seven points from three games, behind second-placed Angers on goal difference. PSG are top with a maximum nine points after Friday’s 4-2 win at Brest.