VAR cancels Ronaldo’s injury time winner

Cristiano Ronaldo was left out of Massimiliano Allegri’s starting XI as Juventus drew their Serie A opener against Udinese.

With ongoing speculation surrounding his future, reports suggested Ronaldo asked not to be picked.

But Juve director Pavel Nedved denied the rumours, insisting it was a “shared decision” not to start the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

“He is absolutely staying at Juventus,” Nedved told broadcaster DAZN.

Ronaldo, 36, replaced Alvaro Morata on 60 minutes and thought he had headed in an injury-time winner from Federico Chiesa’s cross, only for the goal to be ruled out by VAR for offside.

Returning boss Allegri chose Morata to lead the line in a front three that also included Paulo Dybala and Juan Cuadrado, who were both on target.

Dybala opened the scoring inside three minutes, before Cuadrado doubled the lead with a low drive.

Roberto Pereyra pulled a goal back with a penalty against his former club after goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny’s clumsy lunge on Tolgay Arslan.

The hosts equalised in dramatic fashion as former Everton and Watford winger Gerard Deulofeu’s 83rd-minute strike stood after VAR overturned the on-field decision that had ruled it out.

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