Former Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti believes that Cristiano Ronaldo keeps defying odds regarding his inevitable decline.  

These comments about the five-time Ballon d’Or winner were a reaction to the Portuguese’s hat-trick that allowed Juventus to overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League’s round of 16 in midweek. Ancelotti was full of admiration for the Portugal superstar. 

“Everyone expects his performance to go down, but it doesn’t,” Ancelotti told Sky Sport, according to Goal. 

“It never goes down.” 

Having won a Champions League with Real Madrid, Ancelotti has a first-hand experience of watching Ronaldo step up and deliver when it matters the most. The Napoli manager hailed the attacker as great champion who always makes the difference. 

“Ronaldo, in these games, just never fails,” the Italian said.  

“It is the one thing that makes the biggest difference in a match and is the difference between a great player and a great champion.”