Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure to Manchester United undoubtedly leaves Juventus a weaker proposition on the field but his departure is unlikely to cause too many tears in Turin as an expensive experiment comes to an early end.

Coach Massimiliano Allegri almost shrugged his shoulders on Friday when he told the world the five-time Ballon d’Or winner wanted to leave after three seasons in Italy, simply saying that “life goes on” with the air of someone who had made his peace with the separation.

It came in great contrast to the fanfare that greeted the most expensive transfer in the history of Italian football in the summer of 2018, the shock signing of one of the game’s greatest ever players pitched as the missing link between domestic dominance and European glory.

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