TURIN: Italian champions maintained their pressure on the Serie A leaders by winning 2-0 away to Roma with Cristiano Ronaldo taking  a starring role.

The Portuguese superstar was 36 on Friday and celebrated with the goal that opened the scoring after a move fashioned by Alex Sandro and Álvaro Morata.

This was a 16th Serie A goal for Ronaldo who now claims 23 goals in 24 games in all competitions.

Roma missed Pedro Rodríguez and Lorenzo Pellegrini and created little.

Ronaldo also hit the bar before Juve were gifted a killing strike by an own goal from Roma centre-back Roger Ibañez.

In Spain Real Madrid regained winning form with a 2-1 victory over Huesca thanks to two goals from central defender Rafael Varane.

The Frenchman has become even more important for Madrid after veteran captain Sergio Ramos was ruled out for a month at least after injuring a knee in training.

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