Chievo 2-3 Juventus 2018: Ronaldo's Serie A Debut

The Football Documentary Channel · Published 18 August 2026

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Chievo 2-3 Juventus (2018): Cristiano Ronaldo’s Serie A Debut

On 18 August 2018, Chievo 2-3 Juventus at the Stadio Bentegodi in Verona marked Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Serie A debut, and he did not score. Sami Khedira put Juventus ahead after three minutes, but Chievo led 2-1 through Mariusz Stępiński and an Emanuele Giaccherini penalty. An own goal levelled it on 75 minutes, then Federico Bernardeschi struck in stoppage time to win it 3-2, so Ronaldo’s teammates made him a winner on his opening day in Italy.

Juventus’s most expensive signing, bought for a base of €100m, or €112m all-in, began his Italian career on the back foot, subdued by Chievo’s defenders and rescued by a late own goal and a substitute’s toe-poke.

Key Facts

Played on Saturday 18 August 2018 at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi, Verona, in front of around 28,000. It was matchday one of the 2018-19 Serie A season.
Chievo 2-3 Juventus. Khedira scored on 3 minutes, Stępiński equalised on 38, Giaccherini’s penalty made it 2-1 on 56, an own goal levelled it on 75, and Bernardeschi won it on 90+3.
This was Cristiano Ronaldo’s competitive debut for Juventus and his first Serie A appearance. He did not score, subdued by Chievo’s defence for most of the match.
Ronaldo had joined from Real Madrid in July 2018 for a base fee of €100m, or €112m all-in (£99.2m).
The referee was Fabrizio Pasqua. A Mario Mandžukić header on 86 minutes was disallowed by VAR for a foul by Ronaldo in the build-up.

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How Ronaldo’s Juventus Debut Unfolded in Verona

Khedira’s Fast Start

The champions could hardly have begun better. Within three minutes Sami Khedira slammed home a loose ball after a Miralem Pjanić free kick, and Juventus led 1-0. For a short while it looked as if the Ronaldo era would open with a routine away win. Chievo, though, had other plans, and the neatness of the home side began to unpick a Juventus back line still finding its rhythm.

Chievo Turn It Around

Mariusz Stępiński headed Chievo level on 38 minutes, meeting a Giaccherini cross to make it 1-1. Then, on 56 minutes, the game turned on a penalty: Cancelo was penalised for bringing Emanuele Giaccherini down inside the area, and the former Juventus man calmly stroked the spot kick past the goalkeeper to put the hosts 2-1 ahead. The reigning champions, Ronaldo included, were suddenly chasing the game on the opening day.

Minute	Scorer	Team	Score
3	Sami Khedira	Juventus	0-1
38	Mariusz Stępiński	Chievo	1-1
56	Emanuele Giaccherini (penalty)	Chievo	2-1
75	An own goal	Juventus	2-2
90+3	Federico Bernardeschi	Juventus	2-3

Chievo 2-3 Juventus, 18 August 2018: the goal timeline.

Bernardeschi’s Last-Gasp Winner

Juventus needed their bench, and Federico Bernardeschi, introduced in the second half, changed the game. On 75 minutes an own goal, following a Bernardeschi corner, brought the visitors level at 2-2. There was late drama, too: Mario Mandžukić headed the ball in on 86 minutes, but the referee reviewed the passage and disallowed it for a Ronaldo foul in the build-up. Deep into stoppage time, on 90+3, Bernardeschi stretched out a toe to Alex Sandro’s low delivery and steered the ball home to win it 3-2.

How the scoring unfolded on the day:

3′ Sami Khedira strikes after a Pjanić free kick, 0-1 to Juventus.
38′ Mariusz Stępiński heads Chievo level, 1-1.
56′ Emanuele Giaccherini converts a penalty to put Chievo 2-1 up.
75′ an own goal from a Bernardeschi corner makes it 2-2.
90+3′ Federico Bernardeschi toe-pokes in Alex Sandro’s cross to win it 3-2.

A Debut Without a Goal

For the man everyone had come to see, it was a quiet 90 minutes. He was well subdued by Chievo’s defence for most of the match, kept off the scoresheet while his team-mates found the goals that won the points. Ronaldo would not have to wait too long for his first Serie A goals, but his debut belonged to Khedira, an own goal and Bernardeschi. That is the fixture’s lasting curiosity: one of the greatest goalscorers in the game’s history began his Italian adventure by being rescued rather than doing the rescuing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Chievo 2-3 Juventus (2018)

What was the score in Chievo v Juventus on 18 August 2018?

Juventus won 3-2 away at the Stadio Bentegodi in Verona on 18 August 2018. Chievo led 2-1 in the second half, but a 75th-minute own goal and Federico Bernardeschi’s stoppage-time strike turned it around. It was the opening game of the 2018-19 Serie A season.

Did Cristiano Ronaldo score in Chievo v Juventus on his Serie A debut?

No. Cristiano Ronaldo did not score on his Serie A debut on 18 August 2018. He was kept off the scoresheet while his teammates earned the points. Khedira, an own goal and Bernardeschi were the Juventus scorers that day.

Who scored the goals in Chievo 2-3 Juventus in 2018?

Sami Khedira scored on 3 minutes for Juventus on 18 August 2018. Mariusz Stępiński equalised on 38 and Emanuele Giaccherini’s penalty made it 2-1 on 56 for Chievo. An own goal levelled it on 75, and Federico Bernardeschi won it on 90+3.

Where was Chievo v Juventus played on 18 August 2018?

Chievo v Juventus on 18 August 2018 was played at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi in Verona, Chievo’s home ground. The attendance was around 28,000. It was matchday one of the 2018-19 Serie A season.

Who scored the winner in Chievo 2-3 Juventus in 2018?

Federico Bernardeschi scored the winner on 18 August 2018. Deep in stoppage time, on 90+3 minutes, the substitute stretched out a toe to Alex Sandro’s low delivery to win it 3-2. His goal handed Cristiano Ronaldo a winning start to his Juventus career.

Why is the 75th-minute goal in Chievo v Juventus recorded as an own goal?

The 75th-minute equaliser was turned in from Federico Bernardeschi’s corner and is officially recorded as an own goal rather than credited to a Juventus player. It made it 2-2 before Bernardeschi’s stoppage-time winner sealed a 3-2 result.

Was a goal disallowed by VAR in Chievo v Juventus in 2018?

Yes. Mario Mandžukić headed the ball into the net on 86 minutes on 18 August 2018, but the referee reviewed the passage and disallowed it. The goal was ruled out because Cristiano Ronaldo had committed a foul in the build-up, before Bernardeschi’s later winner.

How much did Juventus pay for Cristiano Ronaldo before the 2018 Chievo game?

Ronaldo had joined Juventus from Real Madrid in July 2018, before facing Chievo on 18 August. The base fee was €100m, rising to €112m all-in (£99.2m) including solidarity contributions and additional costs.

Who refereed Chievo v Juventus on 18 August 2018?

Fabrizio Pasqua refereed Chievo v Juventus on 18 August 2018. He awarded Chievo a penalty on 56 minutes after judging that João Cancelo had fouled Emanuele Giaccherini, and he later disallowed a Mario Mandžukić header following a VAR review for a Ronaldo foul.

Was Chievo v Juventus the opening game of the 2018-19 Serie A season?

Yes. Chievo v Juventus on 18 August 2018 was matchday one of the 2018-19 Serie A season. Juventus, the reigning champions, opened their title defence with a 3-2 away win, and the game doubled as Cristiano Ronaldo’s competitive debut and first appearance in Italian football.

How did Chievo take a 2-1 lead against Juventus in 2018?

Chievo recovered from Khedira’s early goal on 18 August 2018 through Mariusz Stępiński, who headed in a Giaccherini cross on 38 minutes. Emanuele Giaccherini then converted a 56th-minute penalty, awarded when João Cancelo was judged to have fouled him, to put the hosts 2-1 ahead.

Why is Chievo 2-3 Juventus remembered in 2018?

Chievo 2-3 Juventus on 18 August 2018 is remembered as the day Cristiano Ronaldo made his Serie A debut. He did not score, and his teammates rescued three points late through an own goal and Bernardeschi’s stoppage-time winner, an understated start to one of football’s most anticipated transfers.