When the Champions League Group Stage draw was made back in August there was one heavyweight fixture that stood out. A headline meeting of two genuine footballing giants, Manchester United versus Juventus is final material, no question, and the only place to be this week for the latest chapter in our 'Framed' series.
As if this fixture needed any extra hype, the theatre of dreams became the theatre of memories for Cristiano Ronaldo last night as he returned to Old Trafford for the first time as a Juventus player. Throw in a reunion for Paul Pogba and a goosebumps-inducing Champions League soundtrack and you've got some big time football. Under the lights with added bite, it's with camera in hand we take our position pitchside.
With all the attention on CR7 it was Paulo Dybala with next-generation groove who proved the difference, as his first-half strike was enough to put Juventus in pole position in Group H with three wins out of three. The Ronaldo love affair was clear in the stands as United fans marked the return of one of their most famous sons with masks, scarves, and desperate on-pitch selfies with the big man. 45 likes, muddy jeans and a £1000 fine with compulsory stadium ban. Worth it? Yeah, probably.
Call it what you want, Old Trafford will always be one of the true European venues. That first glimpse of the towering roof structure upon approach to the ground, walking through the gangway to be greeted with a sea of red bathed in history, there's a special feel around Old Trafford on nights like these. The atmosphere might not be as loud as it once was but atmosphere is defined by more than just volume, and Old Trafford is one of the most atmospheric arenas in world football.
