Cristiano Ronaldo scores brace in Juventus victory over Crotone

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Juventus got back to winning ways by beating bottom club Crotone 3-0 in Serie A. Ronaldo could even have had a hat trick in the first half. 

Weston Mckennie sealed the result after the break. Juventus moved up to third on the table, eight points behind Serie A leader Inter Milan, having played a match less. 

It was Crotone’s fifth successive defeat and left it eight points from safety. Juventus was looking for a big win after a disappointing week. The Bianconeri lost at Porto 2-1 in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday, days after losing at Napoli 1-0 in Serie A. 

Ronaldo hadn’t scored for Juventus since the start of the month. He came close on a couple of occasions before breaking the deadlock in the 38th minute when he headed in an Alex Sandro cross. 

Ronaldo doubled his tally in first-half stoppage time with another impressive header, this time from an Aaron Ramsey cross. The 36-year-old Ronaldo should have had a hat trick moments later but he fired Ramsey’s pass narrowly wide of the right post. 

Crotone never looked like getting back into the match and Juventus wrapped up the win in the 66th when a corner eventually came through to McKennie and he controlled it on his chest before firing into the back of the net. 

Meanwhile, Sevilla comfortably defeated Osasuna 2-0 to extend its winning streak in the Spanish league to six matches and move into the top three in the standings for the first time this season. 

Defender Diego Carlos and striker Luuk de Jong scored in different halves to help Sevilla move a point in front of fourth-placed Barcelona on Monday. Sevilla trails second-placed Real Madrid by four points and is seven points behind league leader Atletico Madrid. 

Osasuna, sitting in 13th place, had won three of its last four league matches, including the last two. It is four points above the relegation zone.