Andrea Pirlo claimed Cristiano Ronaldo was happy to be substituted with 20 minutes remaining of Juventus' pulsating 3-2 win over champions Inter in the Derby d'Italia on Saturday.
The Portuguese superstar – who slotted home the opener after his penalty was saved – was withdrawn for Alvaro Morata with the Bianconeri leading 2-1 after Juan Cuadrado had restored the hosts' lead following Romelu Lukaku's leveller from the spot.
Rodrigo Bentancur was dismissed for the hosts after just 55 minutes for picking up two yellow cards and intense Inter pressure finally told seven minutes from full-time when Giorgio Chiellini bundled into his own net.
There was to be one final twist, though, as Cuadrado powered home from the spot in the 88th minute after he had been brought down inside the area by Ivan Perisic.
The result moved Juve into the top four, although they could be usurped ahead of next weekend's final matchday if Napoli overcome Fiorentina on Sunday.
It was just the third time Ronaldo has been substituted this season, but Pirlo was adamant his talisman took the withdrawal well.
"I think it was the first time he was happy to be subbed off," he told Sky Sport Italia. "We were one man down, and he'd have been chasing shadows. He was happy and smiling in the dressing room."
It has been a dismal first season in charge for Pirlo, with a Champions League last-16 exit followed by a tepid surrender of their nine-year stranglehold on the Serie A crown to Inter.
It remains to be seen whether he will still in charge for the 2021-22 campaign but, if he stays, Pirlo wants to see more of the spirit shown in the win over Antonio Conte's side next term.
"We should have had the same determination and desire to fight on every ball also in the other games of the season," he added.
"If we had done so, we would not be fighting for a top-four finish at this point. We made too many mistakes in games that seemed easy on paper.
"We've asked ourselves many times what we've lacked this season. We didn't have the same fire burning inside. We had to turn the light on again to fight the title and a top-four finish. The lads have proved they are up to the task in big games.
"This group has a lot to give, we have many young players, but playing for Juventus means having more responsibility. It takes time to adapt.
"We shouldn't have dropped so many points, but this is a good team, we have room for improvement, there is a good base to work well."
Juve finish their campaign with a trip to Bologna next week.
Reims striker Balogun backs himself for Olympic appearance
Reims striker Folarin Balogun may have been overlooked by England boss Gareth Southgate, but he believes he could have an international career outside of football.
The Arsenal loanee has been in blistering form this season, scoring 17 goals in 27 Ligue 1 appearances, and has been a regular for the Three Lions' under-21 side.
Such form has led to calls he should be promoted to the senior squad, particularly given the fight for his international allegiance is fierce as Balogun is also eligible for the United States and Nigeria.
Southgate did not heed those calls, however, instead opting to select Brentford's Ivan Toney as understudy to captain Harry Kane.
Whether Balogun will get his chance in the near future remains to be seen but he has revealed he fancies his chances of featuring at the Olympics in table tennis.
"I'm very, very good at ping pong. We have one [a table] here and honestly, I think I could play it at Olympic level," he told Sky Sports.
"I'm honestly that good, I've made a lot of money with a few bets, but yeah, I'm really, really good."
Balogun could find inspiration from others who have competed in other sports outside of football, including former Arsenal and Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, who plays semi-professional ice hockey in England.
Sevilla appoint Mendilibar after sacking Sampaoli
Sevilla have confirmed the appointment of Jose Luis Mendilibar as coach on a short-term contract after sacking Jorge Sampaoli.
A dismal run of form has seen Sevilla lose four of their last seven LaLiga games and they sit just two points above the relegation zone.
Sampaoli's second spell at the club came to an end on Tuesday following a 2-0 defeat at Getafe, which proved the final straw.
The Argentine replaced Julen Lopetegui in October but managed just six wins out of 19 LaLiga matches in charge, although he did lead Sevilla into the Europa League quarter-finals.
Sevilla moved quickly to confirm a replacement, with former Real Valladolid, Alaves and Eibar boss Mendilibar drafted in on a contract until June 30.
His first match in charge will be after the international break, with Sevilla visiting fellow strugglers Cadiz. They then host Celta Vigo on April 7 before travelling to Old Trafford for the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie against Manchester United six days later.
Mendilibar has overseen 448 LaLiga games as a coach, winning 128 and losing 195.
Neville keen for new stadium as deadline for Man Utd takeover bids approaches
Gary Neville is keen for Manchester United to have a new home, telling prospective bidders to modernise the club.
The Glazer family's tenure in charge at Old Trafford could be nearing a conclusion, having announced in November that they were exploring options for a sale.
Last week saw visits to the club from Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani's delegation and Jim Ratcliffe, both of whom are the running for a potential takeover – though there could be as many as eight bidders.
Former United captain Neville is keen for whoever takes charge to invest significantly in the club's infrastructure, including the construction of a new stadium.
"I think we've got to make sure that whoever the new owners are in the next few months, that they harness what the club's history is about, and also take Manchester United forward into a modern era," he told ITV News.
"You look back at the past in terms of what we are and what we should be, but also I think we need to be a modern football club, with a new stadium, a new infrastructure.
"The training ground needs to be brought up to speed and the sporting project needs to be world class.
"And there needs to be that feeling among the fans again, that everyone's aligned on the same page - they haven't had that for the last eight-to-10-years."
While United are perceived to have fallen behind to their rivals off the field, significant gains have been made under the stewardship of Erik ten Hag.
The Dutch boss guided United to League Cup glory in February, the club's first trophy since 2017, with further honours up for grabs with the campaign in the FA Cup and Europa League continuing.
Those improvements have impressed Neville, who added: "I think the thing about Manchester United for me is that the football can never be boring.
"You always have to go to a game feeling that you're going to see something exciting.
"The lads that wear those shirts out on the pitch, they have to look like they're engaged and they've got a spirit and they want to be here.
"You think about how bad it was at the end of last season to what it is now - a huge turnaround."
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