No one feels sorry for Cristiano Ronaldo, ever since it is hard to feel sorry for someone who has what seems to be basically the perfect life.

When you have enough skill to be considered one of the best football players, enough genetic chance to have the appearance of a male model, enough money to buy palaces, yachts or whatever you like, sympathy is the only thing is in short supply.

As he left the field at Valencia's Mestalla stadium in tears on Wednesday night, it was one of the rare occasions when a pity for the Juventus superstar was a reasonable emotion.

And like Ronaldo had the bad side of a dubious red card decision at the start of his team's 2-0 road triumph.

He played in the 29th minute, when Ronaldo tied slightly to Jeison Murillo of Valencia and Murillo fell free-fall. Ronaldo reacted with some anger and tried to hit Murillo on the head, catching his hair for a split second. Not a serious offense, not something likely to cause even a hint of pain or injury, and not worthy of the direct red issued by referee Felix Brych.

Therefore, what was originally one of the most enticing clashes of the season is now much less important. On October 23, Juventus will travel to the United Kingdom to face Manchester United, the club where Ronaldo made his name, became a world icon and won numerous trophies and awards before leaving for Real Madrid in 2009 .

Seeing him revisiting his old training ground, with his brand new club, was a prospect that even neutral, uninteresting fans had been hoping for since the draw of this year's competition.

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Unless the red card is canceled – an unlikely outcome – it will not happen anymore. This is probably one of the main reasons why tears have arrived. Ronaldo hates losing and hates being kicked out. At 33, he is still as player as ever and dropping his teammates by missing most of the action of the night would have seriously affected. Yet he would also have been aware of the extra repercussions and knew exactly what that meant in terms of rejection for Manchester.

He was linked to a return to United but that probably ended the moment when he moved to Serie A in Italy, a move announced at the World Cup in the summer. If he remains with Juventus for the duration of his four-year contract, he will be 37 years old at the end, which may leave enough time for a quick lap at the end of his career in Major League Soccer or in Chinese Super League. before the call quits.

He always wants to win things, but every player of this esteem at the end of his career makes a victory round, especially when it comes to places that could not go back on their schedule. It was a quirk of fate and circumstance that pitted Juventus and United in the same group this season and chances are it will not happen again in another campaign.

He will not miss praise and adulation and good memories, and he will not be happy. Football fans around the world will not do it either, because they will also be absent.

Ronaldo still has the perfect life, but it is good to regret a little, just for the moment.

Follow USA TODAY Sports & # 39; Martin Rogers on Twitter @ RogersJourno.