Gianluigi Buffon has praised Cristiano Ronaldo as ‘one of the best ever’ footballers after his starring role in Real Madrid’s win in Juventus.
The Portuguese forward scored twice – one a spectacular overhead kick – as Madrid eased to a 3-0 win in Turin, with the Juve goalkeeper acknowledging his performance.
“This was not Ronaldo at his best, this was just his usual level,” Buffon told reporters.
“He, along with Lionel Messi, can be compared to Maradona and Pele for their consistent excellence year after year, what they are doing is incredible and he is one of the best ever.
“We did not play badly, we did not make many mistakes, but this is what can happen when you face the very best and now we are disappointed, as we probably cannot qualify.
“Objectively, Madrid are a stronger side than us and we have to congratulate them.”
