Fit-again Ronaldo could line up with Higuain and Dybala, hints Juventus boss Sarri

Cristiano Ronaldo is fit to face SPAL after an adductor injury and could be played in tandem with Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala, according to coach Maurizio Sarri.

Ronaldo missed Tuesday’s slender 2-1 win at Brescia due to the injury, having scored the winner from the spot three days earlier against Hellas Verona.

Higuain and Dybala led the line in Ronaldo’s absence, and Sarri could resist dropping one of them in order to fit last season’s top-scorer back into the starting XI.

He sees no problem in playing all three together, with Juve yet to win by more than one goal across all competitions this term.

“Yes, Ronaldo can play and he can coexist with Higuain and Dybala,” Sarri told reporters at his pre-match news conference.

“Higuain is a guy with great technical skill, Dybala is technically super fine and Ronaldo is a champion.

Work done  pic.twitter.com/4oNc0Dk4pB

— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) September 27, 2019

“I think they can therefore coexist in pairs and in certain phases of the game even in a three.”

Adrien Rabiot made his first start for Juve in the win over Brescia and Sarri’s post-match comments were interpreted as criticism by some, with the coach suggesting he expects more from the Frenchman.

But Sarri insists he was not being critical of the 24-year-old, rather realistic having not featured in a competitive match since December last year.

When asked if he was unsatisfied by Rabiot’s display, Sarri hit back: “I didn’t say that.

“Surely he can do much more. In 2019, Rabiot has never played, so we need to be patient without expecting everything right away.

“He has good qualities, even in physical terms. He has good strength and is technically strong. He must be supported and must get used to our football.”