Miralem Pjanic: Cristiano Ronaldo red card ‘absurd’

Isco took set-piece duties following the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus, and on the same night his former team-mate was sent off against Valencia, the Spain worldwide whipped in a superb strike from 25 yards just before the break.

The Juventus superstar was sent off with a straight red card in the 29th minute against Valencia for a foul against defender Jeison Murillo.

Ronaldo escaped a red card while playing for Portugal against Iran in this summer’s World Cup when a VAR decision resulted in him being booked.

After consulting the official closest to the action, the referee showed the 33-year-old a straight red card, much to the forward’s shock and dismay.

“It could have complicated the situation for us, but the guys have been very good”. But Wojciech Szczesny parried Parejo’s spot kick, which was awarded after Daniele Rugani was adjudged to have elbowed Gabriel Paulista.

United accounted for Young Boys 3-0 in the other Group H fixture and Marcelino added: “We have faced a great team and they have surpassed us”.

In his 154th UCL appearance, and his first with Juve, Cristiano Ronaldo received his first red card in the competition due to a first-half incident that him pulling the hair of a Valencia player. Ronaldo let frustration get the better of him and Murillo made the most of it, falling instantly.

Real Madrid opened their Champions League defence in style.

The left-footed winger also reflected on his mindset when coming on as a substitute in the Champions League final against Liverpool.

Ronaldo will now miss Juve’s double-header against his old club Manchester United, which may go some way to explaining his ludicrously overwrought response.

In Group F, Shakhtar Donetsk twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Hoffenheim, who scored goals through Florian Grillitsch and Havard Nordtveit.