Sports
Time for Cristiano Ronaldo to dig for humility and consider Manchester United return
Despite Will Ford’s willingness to piggy-back him to Saudi Arabia, Cristiano Ronaldo won’t be taking up the offer of nearly a quarter of a billion quid to spend two years in Western Asia. So what now?
Ronaldo has asked to leave Manchester United but, most likely to his surprise, there is no avalanche of offers for the 37-year-old. In fact, the only one on the table was from Saudi. So far, no club in the Champions League, the stage Ronaldo considers his natural habitat, has come forward with a proposal.
Sure, a few have thought about it. Chelsea certainly did, and the allure for Todd Boehly to start his stewardship by signing arguably the game’s biggest superstar must have been tough to resist. But Thomas Tuchel led him away from temptation.
PSG and Napoli both appear to have considered the prospect of taking Ronaldo before opting against doing so while Bayern Munich have once again said ‘thanks but no thanks’, despite Jorge Mendes’ best efforts. Other conversations will have taken place in boardrooms across the continent but they all appear to be reaching a similar conclusion: Ronaldo, right now, isn’t for us.
Which might suit Manchester United. Erik ten Hag offered that impression when asked, but it’s hardly like he could say anything else. Further up the Old Trafford hierarchy, the Glazers are presumably chuffed their biggest cash cow is struggling to find another field in which to graze.
Of course, Ronaldo would be rather less enthused over staying at United. But the megastar might be wise to start getting his head and ego around the idea.
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Neither he nor the club can have the current state of affairs persist for much longer. It will be a fortnight tomorrow since Ronaldo first failed to show as scheduled for pre-season training and from all parties’ perspectives, even if his team-mates are Down Under for another week, that is quite long enough.
United have shown an admirable – some might say naive – level of patience this summer, with Ronaldo and Frenkie De Jong. The situation with their leading transfer target is somewhat out of their control while they wait for Barcelona to stop throwing their cash around and cough up what they owe the Holland midfielder. Even then, it seems they may have to sit tight while De Jong gets his head around the prospect of swapping the Nou Camp for Old Trafford, if he ever does. Such is the importance, however, of the Dutchman to Ten Hag’s plan, United are content to wait.
The Red Devils have rather more authority over Ronaldo since they are paying his huge wages. At some point soon, they will need to exercise it. They have shown a willingness to listen to offers; now so few have come forward, it is time for Ronaldo to consider going back to work and how he might frame his return.
Of course, offers could land at any point between now and the end of the window, and it would be a surprise if not one owner of a Champions League club has a wobble before September 1. But United and Ten Hag are entitled to expect some clarity long before then.
So too are United supporters. Ronaldo and his team need to tread carefully when he steps back into Carrington. If he has no choice but to stay, then it cannot be spun as an act of loyalty or a sudden fit of allegiance, nor can his desire to leave be swept under the carpet. Ronaldo, at least, has to own his decisions, even if he can’t act upon them.
No one expects an apology – Ronaldo has hardly committed a crime in looking for employment elsewhere – but the situation may call for him to dig deep for a smidgen of humility. This, though, has already been something of a humbling summer which must be an unfamiliar feeling. Presumably the player and his agents didn’t expect such a dearth of serious interest.
But, in the words of another egomaniac having a similarly wretched summer, thems the breaks. Ronaldo might prefer to be somewhere else, but while no club is willing to take him, he’s obliged to make the best of it where he is.
Sports
Napoli set €100m price tag on Osimhen amid Juventus interest
Napoli set €100m price tag on Osimhen amid Juventus interest
The transfer saga surrounding Victor Osimhen continues to heat up ahead of the summer window, with Napoli placing a hefty €100 million valuation on the striker should Juventus push to sign him.
While Osimhen’s widely reported release clause stands at €75 million, this figure is applicable only to clubs outside Italy. Domestic rivals like Juventus would have to dig deeper and engage in direct negotiations with Napoli’s president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, who is well-known for driving hard bargains in the transfer market.
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DAZN journalist Orazio Accomando has shed light on Napoli’s stance regarding a potential move to Turin.
“There’s interest from the Premier League (Chelsea and Manchester United in the lead), but also from Barcelona for Osimhen,” he posted on X.
“The clause for going abroad is 75 Million Euros.
“Juventus could join in, but it will depend on qualification for the Champions League and the outgoing market. The request for Italian clubs is 100 Million Euros.”
Napoli set €100m price tag on Osimhen amid Juventus interest
Sports
Barcelona beat Real Madrid 2-1 in extra time to win Copa del Rey
Barcelona beat Real Madrid 2-1 in extra time to win Copa del Rey
A Jules Kounde goal in the dying minutes of extra time handed Barcelona a dramatic 3-2 win over fierce rivals Real Madrid in an enthralling Copa del Rey final in a raucous atmosphere at Seville’s La Cartuja stadium on Saturday.
Barcelona won a record extending 32nd Spanish Cup title thanks to a stunning strike from the French defender, who slotted a low drive into the bottom corner from 25 yards in the 116th minute.
The match ended on a sour note for Real Madrid as Antonio Ruediger and Lucas Vazquez, both on the bench after being substituted earlier, received red cards for dissent from the sidelines, with Jude Bellingham also being flashed a red after the final whistle for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Pedri put Barca ahead in the 28th minute with a brilliant curling strike into the top corner from outside the box in a first-half they dominated.
However, Real took control in the second half as Kylian Mbappe, who was absent from the starting XI as he has yet to regain full fitness from an ankle injury, came off the bench to score the equaliser from a free kick in the 70th minute.
Aurelien Tchouameni gave Real Madrid the lead seven minutes later with a towering header from a corner before Ferran Torres found the equaliser in a counter attack in the 84th minute that took the game to extra time.
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Just when it seemed like the title would have to be settled in a penalty shootout, Kounde finally scored the winner that earned Barca a title that gave German manager Hansi Flick his first major title with Barca, crowning a brilliant season in which they are also bidding for the LaLiga and Champions League titles while Real are now left only with LaLiga as they bid to avoid a trophy-less campaign.
“It was a good time to give the fans something to cheer about. Let’s enjoy it, but don’t overdo it because the Champions League semi-finals are coming up in a few days,” player of the match Ferran Torres told TVE.
“Happy and tired. Without a doubt, it was the most physically demanding game I’ve played in my life. But we’re a great team who never gives up.
“It tastes better that way, especially when it’s Real Madrid in front of us.”
It was a nail-biting, ill-tempered encounter fueled by Friday’s turmoil ignited after Real Madrid decided to boycott pre-match activities in protest against the Spanish FA’s refereeing.
Final official Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, who had given an emotional pre-match press conference on Friday, was faced with a series of challenging decisions, including an added-time penalty for Barcelona that was eventually overturned following a lengthy VAR review.
Torres had a header hit the post just before half-time, marking a one-sided first half in which Real Madrid, lacking in form, were fortunate to only be trailing by a single goal.
In an attempt to swing the momentum, Ancelotti brought on Mbappe from the bench to replace the ineffectual Rodrygo. The French forward changed the dynamic of the game, creating numerous problems for Barcelona with his high-paced combinations with Vinicius Jr.
Despite two clear chances from Vinicius Jr. being denied by stunning saves from Wojciech Szczesny, Mbappe managed to find the back of the net in the 69th minute with a low strike from a free kick.
Just as Barcelona appeared to be on the backfoot and Real Madrid were gaining control, Torres equalised in the 83rd minute. This set the stage for a dramatic conclusion, with Barcelona securing the winner to the euphoria of their fans.
Barcelona beat Real Madrid 2-1 in extra time to win Copa del Rey
Sports
Real Madrid demand referee change, could boycott Copa Del Rey final
Real Madrid demand referee change, could boycott Copa Del Rey final
Real Madrid refused to partake in planned Copa del Rey final related activities on Friday because they were angry at complaints made by the match officials earlier in the day, the club told media in Seville.
The referee for Saturday’s match against rivals Barcelona, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, welled up when speaking about pressure officials have faced from Real Madrid TV this season.
Spanish champions Real Madrid boycotted the press conference, the open training in front of media, the traditional presidents’ dinner and a pre-match photo-call.
“Real Madrid told the RFEF they will not take part in the press conference or the official training session looking forward to the (final),” said the Spanish football federation.
This week the club’s television channel launched a new video attacking the referee for the final, something they have done to various officials this season.
Los Blancos also published an open letter in February claiming Spanish refereeing was “rigged” and “completely discredited”.
Real Madrid have form when it comes to boycotts: in October they stayed away from the Ballon d’Or ceremony because their winger Vinicius Junior was not named the best player in the world.
“Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected,” the club said at the time.
De Burgos Bengoetxea had spoken about the effect criticism from Real Madrid’s television channel was having on his family life.
“When a child of yours goes to school and there are kids telling him that his father is a ‘thief’ and comes home crying, it’s totally messed up,” De Burgos Bengoetxea told a news conference.
“What I do is try to educate my son, to say that his father is honest, above all honest, who can make mistakes, like any sportsperson,” he continued, becoming emotional.
Real Madrid demand referee change, could boycott Copa Del Rey final
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