Yes, Ronaldo is doing well: with Portugal comes a top-flight hat trick

Cristiano is fine, Cristiano scores, Cristiano has replied once again. Welcome back to the Ronaldo show, at least Portugal version: Lithuania is not very kind to offer, whose defense is fertile ground for the CR7 final hat-trick in 82 minutes of play. Who know of rebirth, or at least of return. Impressive and up-to-date data: 16 goals in the season (10 of which are in the national team), 98 with the Portugal jersey – minus 11 from the overall record of international goalscorers – total 705 in career. Not exactly as a player in crisis. LANGUAGE – In twenty-five minutes he had already scored twice: a penalty conquered and transformed, then the 25-meter slap that recalled the best times. In a little less than a game time he had then responded to the most serious underlying question: yes that is fine, Ronaldo. Total leader for all ninety minutes, touches and intuitions, overlaps and plays. Especially networks: beautiful, heavy. Especially by virtue of Serbia's victory over Luxembourg (therefore, still on its heels). But even more important following the controversy over his physical condition and the altercation with Sarri only returned to appearance. However, his answer is also a question of language. Of body language. With the answers enclosed in the smile at the time of change: it is the third in a row, it is the sweetest one. And without controversy.

AND NOW? – On Sunday, against Luxembourg, Cristiano will probably be on the field to update his numbers and his ambition. Then the return to Turin, most likely with the qualification to the Europeans in the pocket and a totally different background serenity. Sarri hopes that his attacker's attitude will change as well. He found himself in the cold of Faro, with the warmth of his people, of his Portugal. The suffering knee, from physical and mental shots, looks a lot like a solved problem. Only one more remains on Cristiano's checklist: closing down the chatter around his time, engaging the right gear and letting only the field speak. He knows how to do it: he has shown it for the umpteenth time, poor Lithuania.