TURIN • Cristiano Ronaldo confessed that he was relieved to finally score from a free kick for Juventus on Saturday, after 42 failed attempts and nearly two years of trying.

The 35-year-old takes most of the team's free kicks but had curiously failed to score from one since moving to Turin in 2018, until his curling effort in the Serie A leaders' 4-1 win over Torino at their Allianz Stadium home.

"I needed to score from a free kick to get my confidence back," the Portuguese forward, who leads his side with 25 league goals, said.

Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri revealed surprise on his part how much the barren run had been bothering the five-time World Player of the Year.

"I honestly didn't think it was (a problem) but at the end of the match, he came to me and said 'finally'," the Italian said.

Sarri said Juve appeared to think the Turin derby was easy after going 2-0 ahead in half an hour through Paulo Dybala's third-minute opener and Juan Cuadrado, but then got "confused" when Torino pulled one back from a penalty in first-half stoppage time.

"At a certain moment of the game, we didn't move very well, then in the second part of the second half the teams were tired and our quality came out," he said.

But Ronaldo finished with aplomb from his free kick to reassert Juve's dominance before Torino defender Koffi Djidji diverted Douglas Costa's centre into his own net to compound the misery for the away side.

Ronaldo became the first player to score 25 goals in a single Serie A season since 1961.Teammate Gianluigi Buffon also created a slice of history and Sarri was generous with his praise for the goalkeeper.

The 42-year-old broke the Serie A appearance record with his 648th game in the Italian top flight, surpassing AC Milan's Paolo Maldini.

"He's a legend. No words needed, just applause. That's how we welcomed him in the changing room today, no words needed," Sarri said. "Look at his numbers, he is a legend."

Buffon needs to play 35 more games to equal former midfielder Alessandro del Piero's record total of Juventus appearances.

Buffon, who spent last season at French club Paris Saint-Germain before rejoining Juve this term, signed a one-year contract extension earlier this week.

The record comes 25 years after he made his Serie A debut for Parma and 19 years after he first signed for Juventus.

"I'll be here until I'm at least 43, but since turning 40 I've been taking things month by month," he said. "I need to monitor the situation and always be ready to step back when the main element is missing, that is, the ability to play at the top."

Juve's seventh straight league win moved them seven points clear of closest challengers Lazio, who lost 3-0 to AC Milan. Milan, who moved up to sixth place, are Juventus' next opponents in the champions' quest for a ninth consecutive title.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS