Milan: While Cristiano Ronaldo spent part of the international break on holiday in St Tropez, his Juventus teammate Paulo Dybala found himself in all-too familiar surroundings on the substitutes’ bench.
Ronaldo has failed to find the net during his first three games for Juventus following his move from Real Madrid and will continue his quest when the Serie A leaders, host Sunday surprise early challengers Sassuolo.
But if the five-time ‘World Player of the Year’ is feeling frustrated by his mini-drought — and his reactions on the pitch suggest he is — his worries pale in comparison to Dybala’s unhappy start to the season.
The 24-year-old Argentine, known as the Jewel for his pace, technique and scoring prowess, has played a pivotal role for Juventus since joining them three years ago.
But, having started Juve’s opening game of the season, a 3-2 win at Chievo, the Argentine was then left out of the starting line-up for the following two games against Lazio and Parma.
Dybala’s admirers have hit out at his treatment. Maurizio Zamparini, the president of Dybala’s previous club Palermo, has suggested that the player would leave Serie A in the next transfer window.
“Every time he is left out of the team, it makes me want to cry,” said Zamparini, who is proud of the role the Sicilian club played in developing Dybala after he arrived from Argentina. “I sent a message to Dybala two years ago, advising him to go to Spain, where they play football, and not stay in Italy.”
Dybala has been warming the Argentina and Juve bench for quite some time now. However, he is not complaining. “I want to get to Turin to work hard and recover my place in Juventus,” he was quoted as saying by ‘Gazzetta dello Sport’.
“I told myself that after being lucky enough to play with Lionel Messi in the national team, now I have the chance to be with Ronaldo in Juventus. “It’s amazing,” he added.