Massimiliano Allegri, given the circumstances, was surprisingly phlegmatic. His team’s first home game of the season was just a couple of days away, and the Juventus coach had just been told that the player around whom his club had painstakingly constructed its modern identity was no longer available for selection.

There was no debate, no back and forth, no discussion. It had been decided. Allegri was nothing more than an observer. Juventus did not have a say in the matter. Cristiano Ronaldo had no intention of playing for the club again. He would be leaving, effective immediately. And that was that.

Admittedly, the news probably did not come as a shock to Allegri. It was not yet a week since Ronaldo had declared it might be best for him not to start Juventus’ opening fixture of the campaign. An injury might jeopardize his chances of a move in the final throes of the summer transfer window. He would be a substitute, and nothing more.

There had been no fury then, and there would be no fury now. Allegri did not rail against the 36-year-old Ronaldo’s presumption, his willingness to dictate his terms to a club as venerable, as grand as Juventus. He did not chide Ronaldo for his lack of loyalty. He did not denounce him as a mercenary. Nobody from Juventus did. Coach, and club, simply acquiesced.