President Issues Update on Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus Future Following Champions League Exit

Juventus president Andrea Agnelli is adamant that Cristiano Ronaldo will remain with the club next season, despite his side's early Champions League exit.

The Old Lady were eliminated in the last 16 of the competition by Lyon - a side who had finished seventh in Ligue 1 during the 2019/20 season - on Friday night.

The French outfit had led 1-0 after the first leg in February, and doubled their aggregate lead after just 12 minutes.

Ronaldo inspired a Juventus fightback with a goal either side of half time - the first from the spot and the second a belter from range - but the hosts failed to find a third and crashed out on away goals.

The result has left Maurizio Sarri's future up in the air, while for Ronaldo it is the second season in a row that his Juventus side have suffered a disappointing Champions League defeat, having exited to Ajax at the quarter final stage last season.

This had triggered speculation that the five-time Ballon d'Or winner could move elsewhere in the summer, but Agnelli was quick to reassure fans about the future of their talisman.

"He's going to stay with us," Agnelli told Sky Sport. "I'm sure that Cristiano will play for Juventus next season. He's a pillar of this team."

Ronaldo's second goal on Friday was his 37th of the season - breaking an 86-year-old Juventus record for most goals in a single season.

This is the third goal scoring record the forward has broken this season, having already become the first man to score over 50 goals in the top tiers in England, Spain and Italy, and the fastest player to reach a half century of goals in Serie A (61 games) - among players who had made their debut since the 1994/95 campaign.

Ronaldo did appear to confirm Agnelli's verdict on his future following Juventus' Serie A title triumph.

The Portuguese international wrote on Instagram: "Happy to win the last two of the nine consecutive Serie A titles for Juventus... Let's go for my third."