If you are looking for the best game of this week’s Champions League fixtures then you are not likely to find a better one than the clash at Old Trafford on Tuesday night between Manchester United and Juventus. The storyline is set for Cristiano Ronaldo to return to Old Trafford once more, though things are a little different this time. United are struggling, and reportedly had the chance to sign Ronaldo this summer, when he moved to Juventus. It looks as though Ronaldo will show United just what they are missing by not buying him and bringing him back to the club where he made a huge name for himself.

These two teams occupy the top two spots in their Champions League group right now with Juventus at the top after two wins from two games and United in second with a win and a draw to their name. Valencia are expected to push United all the way for the second spot in this group behind Juventus, and that should be a good battle. The Reds are not at their best right now, and haven’t been all season so Valencia will fancy their chances of causing what would be a small upset. The two teams drew their first encounter and they play each other again shortly, but Valencia will know that a loss in this one for United and a win for them against Young Boys will bring the two clubs level on points at the half way stage.

Many of the storylines surrounding this game will be about Cristiano Ronaldo and rightfully so, but there is also a much bigger picture to look at here and that is the prospects of Manchester United qualifying for the knockout round of the Champions League.

Why Did Juventus Splash the Cash on Cristiano Ronaldo?

Seeing a club spend just under £100 million on a 33 year old isn’t something you see happen too often, but that is exactly what happened this summer. That move made Ronaldo one of the four most expensive players of all time, and it was certainly one that showed that Juventus mean business over the next couple of seasons.

While we have seen far bigger moves than this one, those are usually reserved for the very best young talent around, and players who will be able to serve their new clubs for a decade after the move. This isn’t the case with this move for Ronaldo, he only has two or three seasons at the top level left in him, so he has to act fast if he is to prove that the move was the right thing to do by the Italian giants.

The reasoning behind bringing Ronaldo to the club was so that he could assist Juventus in winning the Champions League. In nine years at Real Madrid, Ronaldo helped them to win four Champions League titles and with the Italian league dominance that Juve currently have, they want to make a splash at the next level, which is the Champions League. There is no man out there with better skill and a better Champions League pedigree than Cristiano Ronaldo, Juve want to win it, so they went and recruited the very best they could find this summer.

Should Manchester United Have Made a Move for Ronaldo?

The potential move to bring Cristiano Ronaldo to Manchester United was mentioned in the summer, but there was never a huge amount of interest from his old club according to reports. While their main target this summer was to sign a central defender, which they didn’t, there is no doubt that bringing Ronaldo to the club would have had a positive impact. If there is one criticism of United right now other than the results they have been getting then it is their playing style. They have been accused of being boring, too defensive and lacking in flair. Anyone who has seen Ronaldo play will know that he would have been easily capable of changing that and bringing a breath of fresh air to Old Trafford.

There is also the sentimental affect that this move would have had on the fans. They are not happy with the direction the club is moving in right now, and while players shouldn’t be signed solely to appease the fans who are complaining, there is no doubt that a move for Ronaldo would have done exactly that. The fans remember the good days at Old Trafford, and they know that Ronaldo was a big part in those good days, although he is now 33 there is no doubt in their eyes that he could have come back and made another big impact at the club.

While every club in the world would probably have wanted Ronaldo on their team, few had the previous connection to him that United had to offer. With how their season has developed so far, there is no doubt that had they signed the Portuguese superstar, he would have certainly brough a buzz, feel good factor and much more to the club, on top of the incredible talent that he has.

Manchester United vs Juventus Betting Tips

Things haven’t gone well for Manchester United this season, and failure to qualify for the knockout round of the Champions League would be a big blow for them to take. They look in a decent position right now, but a loss here and a win for Valencia would draw them level on points with three games to go. All of a sudden, things wouldn’t look as good for United, but unfortunately for them I think that is exactly what is going to happen this week in the two group games that are played.

Juventus have signed Cristiano Ronaldo with the aim of winning the Champions League and they will be throwing everything they have at the competition over the next couple of seasons. The first thing they will want to do is finish top of their group, and that means going out to win every single game they play. On paper they have a better team than United, they have a matchwinner in Cristiano Ronaldo, and a player who will turn up at Old Trafford looking to prove a point. This, alongside the position that United find themsevles in right now and the morale around the team is enough for me to back Juventus with confidence in this game.

This looks to be the game of the week in the Champions League, and I am backing Cristiano Ronaldo to fire Juventus to victory on his return to Old Trafford, once again showing the United board what they are missing out on.

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