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Tag: Ronaldo

  • Barcelona ‘very bad’ for Brazilians, Real Madrid far better-Ronaldo

    Real Madrid legend Ronaldo has given a scathing assessment of Barcelona’s “very bad” treatment of Brazilians ahead of the January transfer window.

    The striker spent a single year at Camp Nou before leaving for Serie A side Inter in 1997 and does not have fond memories of his time there.

    Neymar’s world-record €222 million departure in the summer for Champions League rivals Paris Saint-Germain stunned world football and Ronaldo claims his treatment there was reminiscent of his own negative experiences.

    “I felt much happier and more connected to Real Madrid, despite having lived a great year in Barcelona,” Ronaldo told Esporte Interativo .

    “In the end, my history with Barca was very bad, similar to the one Neymar had.

    “Barcelona have always had issues with Brazilian players: Neymar, Romario, Ronaldinho and me.

    “We were all treated badly by the club in the end, despite all our contributions and dedication.”

    Ronaldo’s comments are particularly apt due to Barcelona’s known pursuit of Liverpool’s talented Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho.

    The Reds were resilient in rejecting Barca’s advances in the summer but are widely expected to be open to negotiation in 2018, and Goal understands that it’s possible he could join as soon as January.

    In terms of Brazilians already on Barca’s books, the Catalan club signed Coutinho’s international team-mate Paulinho in the summer and fellow midfielder Rafinha has been with the team since 2006.

    Sporting News

  • Ronaldo and Bale 100% ready to play in El Clasico – Zidane

    Real Madrid forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale are both “100%” ready to play in El Clasico against Barcelona after fitness problems, says boss Zinedine Zidane.

    Fourth-placed Real are 11 points behind unbeaten league leaders Barcelona.

    Ronaldo worked alone earlier this week, with a calf knock, but trained properly on Friday – while Bale is recovering from a calf problem.

    “He’s OK. He’s 100%. He’s trained today,” Zidane said of Ronaldo.

    Bale has not played in La Liga since September, but featured twice off the bench in the recent Club World Cup, which Real won.

    “I’ll not choose a player because I want him to play in a Clasico,” said Zidane. “I trust my players and they can get injured, but the important thing is that I think he is 100% to play. We’ll see if he plays or not tomorrow.”

    Barca have not lost a league game this season under coach Ernesto Valverde, who said: “I don’t think we are favourites, the league table has no influence on games like this because of the tension there always is.

    “Madrid are such a powerful team that they can strike you down even when you’re in your best moment of form. Also, they will be at home.”

    Zidane does not think a defeat ends his side’s hopes of defending their title: “We have to not think about the difference in points. I don’t think it’s a decisive match in terms of the league.

    “You have to think positively. We’re very good and better in each area of ​​the field. Even if we lose, the league will not be over.”

    Zidane’s Real Madrid were favourites to win La Liga this season, having won last season’s Spanish title – as well as two Champions Leagues in a row.

    But they have struggled this season – arguably after losing some of their squad members in the summer like Alvaro Morata, James Rodriguez, Danilo and Pepe.

    They have won the Spanish Super Cup (against Barca), the Uefa Super Cup (against Manchester United) and the World Club Cup final (against Gremio). They are still in the Copa del Rey and Champions League, where they finished second to Tottenham in Group H.

    Barcelona, on the other hand, have enjoyed a great season since Valverde replaced Luis Enrique in the summer. They are yet to lose a La Liga game since his appointment, winning 13 and drawing three to sit six points above second-placed Atletico Madrid going into the weekend’s games.

    Their only two defeats were the first two games of the season, against Real in the Spanish Super Cup. They are also unbeaten in the Champions League, finishing top of Group D above Juventus, and are still in the Copa del Rey.

  • Ronaldo trailing in Messi’s wake after mimicking celebration

    The defining image of the previous “Clasico’’ in the league last April was the sight of Lionel Messi defiantly showing the back of his shirt to the baying Real Madrid crowd.

    This was after burying the winning goal to settle a thrilling contest 3-2 for FC Barcelona.

    The goal, also the Argentine’s 500th strike for his club, proved futile in Barca’s pursuit of Madrid.

    Real Madrid still won a first La Liga crown in five years, but the incident has had a surprising knock on effect on the current campaign.

    Cristiano Ronaldo, locked in a compelling battle with Messi for the title of being the best player in the world, replicated Messi’s celebration four months.

    That was when he scored for Real against Barca in the Nou Camp in the Spanish Super Cup, but his actions had unintended consequences.

    Ronaldo incurred an automatic booking for removing his shirt to celebrate the goal in Real’s 3-1 win.

    Two minutes later he was sent off for a second yellow card, this time for diving.

    Incredulous at the decision, he pushed referee Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea and was subsequently slapped with a five-game ban, missing Real’s opening four Liga games.

    By the time Ronaldo made his first league appearance of the season in an eventual 1-0 defeat by Real Betis on Sept. 20, Messi was already on a remarkable nine goals.

    Real Madrid were seven points adrift of Barca at that stage.

    The champions host their bitter rivals on Saturday sitting fourth in the Liga standings, 11 points behind Barca, although they have a game in hand.

    No side has ever won the Liga after falling eight points behind the leaders.

    Not helped by his lack of match practice, Ronaldo did not open his account in the league until his fourth league game, striking the winner against Getafe.

    His second goal did not come until his ninth appearance, against Malaga.

    His two goals in the last league outing against Sevilla took him to four for the season, his worst campaign so far in nine years in Spain.

    Twenty-one players have scored more than the usually prolific Portuguese in Spain’s top flight this season, with Messi leading the way with 14 goals.

    Ronaldo has compensated for his poor domestic form by maintaining his usual high standards in international competitions.

    He is the top scorer in this season’s UEFA Champions League with nine goals.

    Last weekend he struck the only goal in the Club World Cup final against Gremio to help Real sign off 2017 with a club record five trophies.

    His floundering league displays have not affected his self-confidence, either.

    “There is not a more complete player than me and I believe I am the best player in the history of football, in the good and the bad moments,” Ronaldo said this month after winning the Ballon d‘Or.

    The win ensured he is now level with Messi in being named world player of the year a record fifth time.

    With five goals in his last four games in all competitions, Ronaldo heads into the ‘Clasico’ in prolific form.

    It will be no big surprise if he inspired Madrid to victory over Barca.

    But even if he does, Real will still face a huge task in chasing down the Catalans.

    They had marched into an early lead while Ronaldo was shackled by his ban, partly due to mimicking Messi’s iconic celebration.

  • Ronaldo expects more trophies after scoring winner in Club World Cup final

    Cristiano Ronaldo expects to continue his “trajectory” and win more trophies at Real Madrid after scoring the winner against Gremio in Saturday’s Club World Cup final.

    The Portugal international, 32, curled home a free-kick as Real became the first team to win back-to-back titles.

    Ronaldo won a fifth Ballon d’Or earlier this month and crowned himself “the best player in history”.

    “The numbers speak for themselves,” he said.

    “I am very happy, I remain very motivated to keep winning things at a collective and individual level.

    “I still feel strong enough to continue my trajectory as a player and to win trophies, which is what I like most.”

    Saturday’s victory in Abu Dhabi was a record-equalling third Club World Cup win for Real, who also triumphed in 2014, matching Barcelona’s achievement.

    Real have now won five trophies in 2017 – the Champions League, La Liga, Uefa Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup and now the Club World Cup.

    It takes their overall total under Zinedine Zidane to eight since the former France international’s appointment as manager in January 2016.

    For long periods of this game in Abu Dhabi, it looked like Brazilian side Gremio would frustrate Real Madrid and perhaps even pinch a victory as the Spanish giants became increasingly frustrated in their attempts to break down a disciplined defence.

    Real dominated possession in the first half but only one of their 10 chances before the break was on target.

    They switched to attempting to find joy from long distance but efforts by Luka Modric, Ronaldo and Karim Benzema were all wayward.

    However, eight minutes into the second half Real were awarded a free-kick 25 yards from goal when Ronaldo was tripped and the Portugal international picked himself up to curl the ball through a gap in the wall and into the net.

    It was Ronaldo’s fourth goal in three Club World Cup finals and extended his record of scoring in significant finals for Real Madrid, having also hit three goals in three Champions League finals and two goals in two Copa del Rey finals.

    BBC Sports

  • Ronaldo asks lawyers to negotiate his exit from Real Madrid

    Cristiano Ronaldo has tasked his lawyers with negotiating his exit from Real Madrid, according to new reports in Spain.

    Ronaldo The Los Blancos star has apparently been left unhappy since winning his fifth Ballon d’Or last week.

    While at the ceremony in Paris, Real president Florentino Perez was asked about whether Neymar could follow in the number seven’s footsteps.

    “Being in Madrid would make it easier to win the Ballon d’Or,” Perez confessed.

    “Real Madrid is a club which gives all you need as a big player, everyone knows that I already wanted to sign him at one point.”

    In the television report, Edu Aguirre reveals: “Well, the situation between Real Madrid and Ronaldo has not only failed to improve, it is worse than ever.

    “There has not been a single offer or renewal on the table from Real Madrid for Ronaldo, no offer for Ronaldo. And today, Ronaldo refuses to negotiate any kind of renewal with Real Madrid.”

  • Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t expect to match Lionel Messi’s Ballon d’Or haul

    Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo said he never thought he would equal Lionel Messi’s haul of five Ballons d’Or after pulling level with the Barcelona forward by winning the 2017 award.

    Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or while he was at Manchester United in 2008, but then saw Messi win football’s most prestigious individual award in each of the next four years before he won it again.

    Messi last triumphed in 2015 with Ronaldo picking it up in each of the last two years to join the Argentina international as the joint-most decorated players in the history of the award.

    “I didn’t think I’d be able to catch Messi, because after I won my first, he won four, and I thought it would be difficult to equal him,” Ronaldo told L’Equipe. “But football gives you the opportunity to keep working and winning, and I have won, and I’m experiencing a great period.”

    Ronaldo endured the frustration of watching Messi take the honour, notably when France Football fused the award with the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2010, which led to some uncomfortable moments for the Portugal international.

    “I won a Ballon d’Or before Messi and then he overtook me winning four in a row,” he said. “I can’t hide the fact I was sad and angry. I went to the awards ceremony and never won. I was even demotivated. I didn’t want to go there any more. I wasn’t interested in being there for the photo.

    “And then, little by little, thanks to the support of those around me, I said to myself that everything has a start and an end. And that in football, it’s the end that counts, not the start. I was patient, and I’ve won other Ballons d’Or. Today is the fifth, and that pushes me more to keep fighting, without thinking of my age.”

    Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane paid tribute to the four-time Champions League winner saying despite his success he retains the ambition to keep winning.

    “When he’s here and he’s training, when he can score, for example, 10 times in training, he’ll score 10 times,” Zidane said. “That’s what impresses me. To always want to score, always want to win games, even in training. It’s his ambition that impresses me.”

    Former manager Sir Alex Ferguson added that he is proud of the part he played in Ronaldo’s development into one of the game’s best-ever players.

    “The greatest satisfaction I have had with Cristiano was that he came from Madeira, through Sporting Lisbon, and then to my club, and developed into the player he is. You couldn’t get greater satisfaction than that,” Ferguson told L’Equipe.

    “Our training would generally consist of the same things in terms of intensity, but sometimes a player can go on and be different. They have a great desire to practice, and Ronaldo was the best at practising.”

    espn.com

  • Breaking: Ballon d’Or 2017 – Cristiano Ronaldo wins for a fifth time

    The Real Madrid star took home the prize after guiding his team to a La Liga and Champions League double in 2016-17 Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has won the 2017 Ballon d’Or.

    It is the fifth time the Portugal international has won the prize, drawing him level with his great rival Lionel Messi for the most Ballons d’Or of all time.

    Ronaldo scored 42 goals across all competitions during the 2016-17 season, leading Real Madrid to a La Liga and Champions League double.

    The 32-year-old netted 25 times in La Liga last term and added 12 goals in the Champions League, including a brace in the final against Juventus.

    It’s the second straight year Ronaldo has won the award presented by France Football, and he was also named the Best FIFA Men’s Player of 2016-17 in October.

    Ronaldo also took home the Ballon d’Or in 2008, 2013, and 2014.

    FIFA formerly awarded the Ballon d’Or in conjunction with France Football, but the two entities split their prizes last year.

    The Portugal star was joined in the top 30 by six of his Real Madrid team-mates: Karim Benzema (25th place), Toni Kroos (17th), Marcelo (16th), Isco (12th), Sergio Ramos (sixth) and Modric (fifth).

    Ronaldo has picked up where he left off last season in this year’s Champions League, scoring in all six of Madrid’s group-stage matches – a feat that had never been accomplished before .

    But he hasn’t matched that form in La Liga, netting just two times in 10 appearances thus far.

    Goal.com

  • Cristiano Ronaldo named UEFA men’s player of the year

    Cristiano Ronaldo has been named UEFA Men’s Player of the Year for a second consecutive season.

    The Real Madrid forward saw off competition from Barcelona star Lionel Messi and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon to claim the award for the third time overall.

    “Ronaldo struck 25 goals in La Liga last term, and 12 in 13 matches during Real Madrid’s Champions League-winning campaign.”

    Previous winners of the award include Messi and Barca team-mate Andres Iniesta, who claimed the prize in the 2011-12 campaign ahead of the Argentina international in second.

    Elsewhere, Buffon was named the goalkeeper of the season, Sergio Ramos the top defender, and Luka Modric the best midfielder, while Ronaldo was also named UEFA forward of the year, beating Paulo Dybala and, again, Messi for the award.

    Women’s Player of the Year went to Lieke Martens of Barcelona, who topped Pernille Harder of Wolfsburg and Dzsenifer Marozsán of Lyon.

  • Cristiano Ronaldo faces 12-game ban for pushing referee

    Real Madrid’s megastar, Cristiano Ronaldo, may face a 12 game ban for pushing the referee following his red card against Barcelona in the el Clasico on Sunday evening.

    Ronaldo scored in the 80th minute, but earned a yellow card for removing his shirt to celebrate his goal, showing off his muscles at Camp Nou.

    The Real Madrid star was booked again just two minutes later for diving in the area and reacted to the decision by shoving the referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea from behind.

    The referee did not seem to react at the time but La Liga could take action against the 32-year-old for his behaviour after the manner in which he left the field was included in the official’s report.

    “After being shown the red card, the player pushed me gently to show his dissent,” De Burgos wrote in the document that covers all the incidents that occurred in the match.

    Under article 96 of the Code of the Spanish Football Federation, it states that any player who “catches, shoots or shakes” a referee in a manner perceived to be violent risks a suspension anywhere between four and 12 matches.

    The 32-year-old star also posted a picture of the game and captioned, “team.”

    If Ronaldo’s actions are deemed worthy of only four games, the suspension will only apply to the Spanish Super Cup, however, any more than four games and the ban will carry over to La Liga matches too.

  • ‘I never had intention of evading tax,’ Ronaldo tells court

    Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo has denied hiding millions of euros in income at a court hearing near the Spanish capital on Monday where he was charged with tax evasion.

    The Portuguese — the world’s highest paid sportsman according to Forbes magazine — follows in the footsteps of his arch-rival, Barcelona forward Lionel Messi, who was found guilty of the same offence last year.

    “I have never hidden anything, nor have I had the intention of evading taxes,” Ronaldo, 32, told the court, according to a statement from the sports agency which represents him, Gestifute.

    “I always voluntarily file my tax returns because I think we all must file a return and pay taxes according to our income. Those that know me, know what I ask my advisors: that they have everything up to date and properly paid, because I don’t want problems.”

    Accused of having evaded 14.7 million euros ($17.3 million) in tax, he entered and left the court in Pozuelo de Alarcon, a wealthy suburb of Madrid where he lives, via an underground garage to avoid the press.

    Prosecutors allege he took “advantage of a company structure created in 2010 to hide income generated in Spain from his image rights from tax authorities”. They say this was a “voluntary and conscious breach of his fiscal obligations in Spain”.

    Prosecutors accuse the four-time world player of the year of evading tax via a shell company based in the British Virgin Islands and another in Ireland, known for low corporate tax rates.

    In addition, they say the Real Madrid striker only declared 11.5 million euros of Spanish-related income from 2011 to 2014, while what he really earned during that time was close to 43 million euros.

    They also accuse him of “voluntarily” refusing to include 28.4 million euros in income linked to the sale of his image rights for the 2015 to 2020 period to a Spanish company.

    ‘Legal and legitimate’
    Ronaldo told the court he did not create a “special structure” to manage his image rights when he moved to Real in 2009 but simply maintained the one set up in 2004 while he was at Manchester United “long before I thought of coming to Spain”.

    This structure had been deemed “legal and legitimate” by the British tax office. The affair has taken its toll on Ronaldo.

    According to press reports, Real’s all-time top goalscorer threatened to leave Spain over the affair, giving supporters a fright. He has since decided to stay on, according to Real coach Zinedine Zidane.

    If he were put on trial and found guilty, Ronaldo would risk “a fine of at least 28 million” euros and could potentially be jailed for three and a half years, the Gestha union of experts at Spain’s Inland Revenue has said.

    Since extending his contract last November until 2021, Ronaldo is the highest paid sports star in the world with $93 million earned in 2016-2017, according to Forbes.