- Portuguese star set new record with 100th win in the Champions League.
- Old Lady looking to win third European crown with Ronaldo now on board.
TURIN: Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri hailed the impact Cristiano Ronaldo was having on the Italian champions as the Portuguese star became the first player to achieve 100 Champions League wins in Tuesday鈥檚 1-0 success over Valencia that clinched their passage to the knockout rounds.
鈥淩onaldo gives us a sense of security and confidence,鈥� said Allegri of the beaten finalists in two of the last four editions of the elite European competition.
鈥淭he team is essentially the same as last season. We鈥檝e grown, become faster in playing the ball, but then of course, there is Cristiano Ronaldo.
鈥淭his team is constantly improving 鈥� they鈥檙e passing and putting play together more quickly.鈥�
Ronaldo 鈥� who joined 鈥渢he Old Lady鈥� last summer from Real Madrid for 鈧�112 million ($126 million) 鈥� is targeting a sixth Champions League title to add to his four with the Spanish team and one with Manchester United.
The Italian giants are looking for their third European title and first since 1995.
Last season they exited in the quarterfinals to Ronaldo鈥檚 Real Madrid 鈥� thats largely to the Portuguese鈥檚 outrageous overhead kick which gave Gianluigi Buffon no chance in the Juve goal.
The 33-year-old played a key role against Valencia providing the assist on 59 minutes which Croatian Mario Mandzukic tapped in for his third goal in as many matches.
Juventus had needed just a point to ensure qualification. Their win combined with Manchester United鈥檚 late 1-0 win over Young Boys at Old Trafford means Valencia have crashed out of the competition.
Allegri鈥檚 side will now have to wait to see whether they top Group H when they play their final group game mid-December in Bern against Young Boys.
Ronaldo came out firing on all cylinders after his controversial red card during his first Champions League game for Juventus in Valencia back in September, which Allegri鈥檚 side still won 2-0.
The five-time Ballon d鈥橭r winner had two chances within the first three minutes to add to his record tally of 121 Champions League goals.
Just before the hour mark, Ronaldo broke free of Valencia defender Gabriel and with some fancy footwork fired low across the face of the goal leaving Mandzukic to finish off.
鈥淵ou can see how united we are including the forward,鈥� said Juventus captain Giorgio Chiellini.
鈥淎ll three of them 鈥� Ronaldo, Mandzukic and Dybala, really put themselves about, it makes everything much easier.
Since his move from Real Madrid Ronaldo has scored nine league goals in just 13 matches. That scoring rate for a first-time Juve player has not been accomplished since Pietro Anastasi managed it in the 1968-69 season. Added to that Ronaldo has been directly involved in half of Juve鈥檚 28 goals in the current Serie A campaign, with nine goals and five assists.