Images from Saturday's action in the English Premier League
Cristiano Ronaldo's return to fitness has strengthened Real Madrid in time for their eagerly anticipated trip to face Barcelona at the Nou Camp on Sunday.
Even as Monaco are ready to make a sensational world record 100m ( 85m) bid for Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, the Spanish club's president Florentino Perez is reportedly prepared to offer his Portuguese star more than a whopping 125 million pounds in a five-year contract to lure him to stay on at the club and not make a switch to Manchester United or any other club.
Mercurial forward Ricardo Quaresma scored twice and set up three more goals in a sparkling individual performance as Portugal demolished Estonia 7-0 in their final friendly before Euro 2016 on Wednesday. The charismatic but erratic forward, given a chance to stake his place in the team for France when he replaced Nani in the starting line-up, even upstaged Cristiano Ronaldo who scored twice before being taken off at halftime. Quaresma, whom critics say has failed to make the most of his talent in a career punctuated by tantrums, produced his full repertoire of tricks in one of the best international performances of his topsy-turvy career. The 32-year-old opened the floodgates with two moments of brilliance just before halftime. This first was a stunning "trivela", an outswinging cross hit with the outside of his right foot, to pick out Ronaldo who got in front of his marker and scored with a bullet header at the far post in the 36th minute.
"And you need also that you can make tactical choices. We are looking for the right player for our squad and (he) has to match our sporting criteria but also our financial criteria."
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have lit up Spanish Primera Liga with a slew of goals this season and the title race is already shaping up as a duel between Real Madrid and Barcelona. The Portuguese winger, who cost Real a world record 94 million euros ($138 million) in the close season, and the zippy Argentina forward, who joined Barca's youth program at the age of 13, both have five goals already this term.
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo may not be fit to face England in Saturday's World Cup quarter-final, said coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.
Real Madrid opened a three-point lead over Barcelona at the top of La Liga when Cristiano Ronaldo scored his eighth goal of the campaign in a 3-1 victory at home to promoted Las Palmas on Saturday.
Virat Kohli, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, lost their verification ticks on Twitter
Cristiano Ronaldo has developed into a world class talent by simplifying his game, UEFA technical delegate Gerard Houllier said.
Cristiano Ronaldo lit up the Bernabeu with a brilliant four-goal performance in Real Madrid's 6-1 drubbing of struggling Racing Santander on Saturday.
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane lavished praise on Cristiano Ronaldo after the three-time world player of the year appeared to struggle through the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty as Real Madrid and neighbours Atletico were held to draws leaving Barcelona with an eight-point lead at the top of La Liga and 13 matches left.
Not even the return of Cristiano Ronaldo could arrest Portugal's ailing fortunes as new manager Fernando Santos watched his men defeated 2-1 by France in a friendly in Paris on Saturday.
The 21-year-old midfielder is likely to be Portugal's key player at the World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick to lead Real Madrid to a 4-0 home win over Getafe on Tuesday, denying leaders Barcelona the chance to win the La Liga title without kicking a ball.
Cristiano Ronaldo fired a hat-trick to keep Real Madrid's title challenge alive with a 4-1 comeback victory at Real Mallorca on Wednesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo took his league tally for the season to 30 as leaders Real Madrid swept aside Espanyol 5-0 at the Bernabeu to restore their 10-point advantage over Barcelona in La Liga on Sunday.
Barcelona have been linked to a host of forwards during the winter transfer window as they seek experienced backup options for Luis Suarez.
Real Madrid star striker Critiano Ronaldo has been reportedly informed that he will be crowned this year's Ballon d'or winner.
The World Cup lost its headline acts on Saturday as the game's two biggest stars, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, readied to leave Russia after their teams were eliminated in the round of 16. Messi's Argentina lost 4-3 to France and hours later Ronaldo's Portugal went down 2-1 to Uruguay, leaving the tournament without its two best known and most loved players.
Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo were handed two-match bans in the King's Cup after they were sent off in last week's final at the Bernabeu, the Spanish football federation (RFEF) said on Wednesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice on his return from suspension as Real Madrid crushed bottom side Xerez 3-0 away in La Liga on Saturday and trimmed Barcelona's lead at the top to two points.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Champions League debut for Juventus lasted only 29 minutes as he was red-carded but the Italians began their Group H campaign impressively with a 2-0 victory at Valencia on Wednesday. Penalties either side of halftime by Miralem Pjanic sealed the points for the visitors as Valencia's return to European competition after a two-year absence fell flat.
Lionel Messi has overtaken Cristiano Ronaldo as the world's best player and could take Argentina to the final of the World Cup, coach Diego Maradona said.
PM Modi gifted Cristiano Ronaldo's autographed jersey by Portugal PM
Cristiano Ronaldo said on Tuesday his sadness had nothing to do with money as the Real Madrid forward looked to head off media speculation he simply wanted for a more lucrative deal.
Cristiano Ronaldo will lead Portugal's World Cup campaign after being named in their provisional 30-man squad for the finals on Tuesday, despite currently being out with a hamstring injury.
If Sweden succeed in shackling Cristiano Ronaldo other players will step up and score, Portugal coach Paolo Bento said on the eve of the second leg of their World Cup playoff.
Zinedine Zidane overcame the biggest challenge of his fledgling coaching career as Real Madrid brushed aside VfL Wolfsburg to overturn a first-leg deficit and reach the Champions League semi-finals.
Cristiano Ronaldo believes Barcelona play better soccer than his Real Madrid side and has tipped Lionel Messi to win the 2009 Ballon d'Or.
Real Madrid's soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo donated 100,000 euros on behalf of UEFA to help rehabilitate Afghans who have lost limbs, mostly landmine victims, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Wednesday.
Manchester United opened up a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League after cruising past Bolton Wanderers 2-0 while Chelsea led three times against Tottenham Hotspur but were held 4-4.
Austria will double mark Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo when the teams clash at Euro 2016 on Saturday, but fear that it could create space for his teammates to wreak havoc, Austria's captain Christian Fuchs said. The two nations had been considered the strongest teams in Group F, but the pressure on both has intensified after disappointing opening games. Portugal could only draw 1-1 with tournament debutants Iceland, while Austria lost 2-0 to unfancied Hungary. The prospect of stopping the three-times world player of the year has added to Austria's worries.
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo will be out of action for around three weeks with a bruised right ankle, the Spanish club said on their website (www.realmadrid.com) on Monday.
A Gareth Bale header and a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty gave Real Madrid a much-needed 2-0 victory over Eibar in La Liga on Sunday, following their hammering by leaders Barcelona last weekend, and put them six points off the top of the standings.
Gareth Bale injured himself in the warmup and was forced to wait for his Bernabeu debut but Real Madrid did not miss him as Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in a 4-1 win over Getafe in La Liga on Sunday.
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo is itching to get back into action in Wednesday's Champions League last 16, first leg at Schalke 04 after serving a three-match La Liga ban, coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Tuesday.
Real Madrid have one hand on a first La Liga trophy in four years after Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brilliant winner in a 2-1 victory at Barcelona on Saturday that stretched their lead over their bitter rivals to seven points with four games left.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a stunning injury-time goal against his former club to give Manchester United a 2-1 win over Sporting and a guarantee of top spot in Champions League Group F on Tuesday.
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