Despite his catastrophic record: how did Allegri deceive the free-kick "dictator" Ronaldo?

Pjanić tells the story

Miralem Pjanic has lifted the lid on the trick Massimiliano Allegri used to hand him a free-kick at Juventus, denying his team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, who was desperate to take it himself.

Rewind to March 2019 and Juventus's Serie A meeting with Napoli, a game the Old Lady edged 2-1.

The Bianconeri won a free-kick in a prime position after Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret brought down Ronaldo and was shown a red card.

Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Pjanic explained that Allegri spotted Ronaldo on the ground clutching his knee and waved on the medical staff to take him off briefly, seizing the moment to give Pjanic the ball.

The distance suited him perfectly. Pjanic struck it and buried the free-kick, while Ronaldo trotted back onto the pitch before Pjanic himself was sent off after the break.

Looking back, Pjanic saw the funny side: "This was the only way to get the ball back, thank you Max."

Few could match Pjanic as a set-piece specialist during his Serie A years, with only Argentina's Paulo Dybala in the same bracket.

Ronaldo tells a different story. For all his love of free-kicks across his career, his record at Juventus was underwhelming, scoring just one goal from the 98 he took for the Italian club.