Engulfed in turmoil, Cristiano Ronaldo will look to pick up where he left off on the pitch as Juventus hosts Genoa in Serie A on Saturday before next week's trip to his former club Manchester United in the Champions League.
Ronaldo shrugged off explosive rape allegations to score for the champion in its last Serie A game against Udinese before the international break on October 6 to keep Juventus's 100 per cent record after eight games.
The allegations made by 34-year-old American Kathryn Mayorga, that Ronaldo raped her in a Las Vegas hotel in 2009, threaten to engulf the Portuguese superstar in a lengthy legal battle.
Ronaldo, 33, issued a statement to “firmly deny the accusations” but was left out of Portugal's squad for this month's 3-1 friendly win over Scotland, and 3-2 Nations League victory against Poland.
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Juventus has stood behind its star signing and he will look to help the reigning champion maintain its six-point lead on second-placed Napoli.
“Goals, pains, tears and the case in the USA -- the first 100 days at Juventus,” wrote Gazzetta dello Sport .
“With Juventus it's a honeymoon,” the newspaper added of the former Real Madrid player's three months in Turin, “but the Mayorga case...”
It was business as usual at training for Ronaldo, who posted a photo of himself listening to coach Massimiliano Allegri's instructions on social media Thursday with the 'thumb up' emoji.
Its rival is Genoa, 11th, but with Europe's top scorer this season in Polish striker Krzysztof Piatek.
The 23-year-old Pole has scored nine goals in seven games for Genoa, which has a match in hand, compared to Ronaldo's four.
The young player, who arrived from Cracovia for four million euros ($4.6 million) in the summer, was relishing coming up against the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player in the world right now and in my view the greatest there has ever been,” said Piatek.
“I'd like to give my jersey to Ronaldo and maybe get his.”
Genoa also switched coaches during the break with Ivan Juric replacing Davide Ballardini.
“Genoa have changed coach and they will want to make a good impression here in Turin,” said Juventus full-back Mattia De Sciglio.
“Against the Rossoblu (Genoa) it's always a tough game, and after the international break it's even harder to start again.”
Carlo Ancelotti's Napoli visits Udinese ahead of its trip Wednesday to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Inter Milan, third, two points adrift of Napoli, faces city rival AC Milan in the first derby of the season in the San Siro, before travelling to Barcelona three days later.
“It's the game the city most looks forward to,” said Inter captain Mauro Icardi. “The goal for Inter remains to reduce the gap with Juventus and Napoli.”
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Roma hosts SPAL looking to stretch its run to four league wins in a row before welcoming CSKA Moscow in the Stadio Olimpico, as city rival Lazio, in fourth, travels to Parma.
Meanwhile, ex-Italy boss Gian Piero Ventura returns to coaching bidding to guide tailender Chievo to its first win of the season.
It will be Ventura's first match since being sacked last November after Italy failed to reach the World Cup finals.
“I'm experiencing this new beginning with the enthusiasm of a child,” said Ventura, 70, who replaced Lorenzo D'Anna.
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