Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has dismissed talk that the club was looking to re-sign superstar Cristiano Ronaldo during the transfer window.
Ronaldo left Real Madrid for Juventus in a deal worth €100 million this summer after nine years in the Spanish capital. Persistent British media speculation suggested the 33-year-old could return to Old Trafford, where he won the Premier League three times and collected one Champions League title and a Ballon d’Or in six seasons.
However, Mourinho, who coached Ronaldo at the Bernabeu between 2010 and 2013, denies rumors that the Red Devils considered a deal for the Portugal captain.
“Cristiano was never on my table to say yes or no to Cristiano to come to us,” Mourinho told reporters Sunday, according to ESPN. “It was never on the table.”
Regardless of whether they discussed a potential move for Ronaldo, Mourinho and United did not find much success in pursuit of their summer transfer targets. The club’s board reportedly vetoed several of the manager’s defensive preferences, and it’s believed that Mourinho failed to convince Ronaldo’s new Bianconeri teammate Mario Mandzukic to move to Salford.
United will face off against their former superstar and his new team in the Champions League group stages this season. Mourinho’s men host Ronaldo and Co. at Old Trafford on Oct. 23 before traveling to Turin on Nov. 7.
Monaco – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said on Friday he is enthusiastic about the prospect of a joint United Kingdom bid to host the 2030 World Cup finals.
The English Football Association recently revealed it was looking into the idea of putting itself forward to host the tournament, and a joint bid with Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland could be a possibility.
The fact that the World Cup is set to increase from 32 to 48 teams for the 2026 tournament in North America means going alone would be a greater challenge for England, which last hosted the World Cup in 1966.
“I think it would be a wise idea. The infrastructure in the UK is very good. In a way, if more countries bid there is more chance to win, but from the other point of view, you have less votes,” Ceferin told journalists in Monaco, where UEFA have been hosting the draws for the group stages of their club competitions.
England went out in the first round of voting to host this year’s World Cup, but has made little secret of its interest in trying again.
It last hosted a major tournament with the European Championship in 1996, although the semi-finals and final of the continent-wide Euro 2020 will be played in London, at Wembley.
However, UEFA only want there to be one European bid, with the 2030 battle set to be against a Moroccan-led North African bid as well as a joint candidacy from Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
Ceferin added: “I have said before that after all those years it is time for that part of Europe to get the World Cup but the only thing that I will insist is that there is only one European bid.
“I don’t want Europe to be divided because of the World Cup bid and it would be divided because the voting is public.”
England has submitted a bid to host the women’s Euro in 2021, with Friday the deadline for other possible hosts to come forward.
Meanwhile, UEFA say they are not worried about any possible consequences of Brexit on Euro 2020, with seven matches to played in London in total and four more in Glasgow.
“It may add some complexity but we are used to organising tournaments inside and outside the EU,” said Giorgio Marchetti, the deputy secretary general of European football’s governing body, as he pointed out that matches will also be played in other non-EU venues, such as Baku and Saint Petersburg.
“They gave guarantees and we expect them to be respected.”
Thursday’s Champions League draw produced tantalizing matchups, compelling storylines, and some fantastic quartets. Here’s what to expect from each group during the continental competition:
Related – Champions League draw: Heavyweight matchups across the board
Group A
Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Monaco, Club Brugge
Predicted to advance: Atletico, BVB
Best matchup: Atletico vs. BVB
Player to watch: Aleksandr Golovin
Group A feels like the hipster’s choice. With Atletico’s pedigree, Dortmund’s colorful supporters, Monaco’s youthful exuberance, and Brugge’s unknown quantities, there’s enough on tap to keep the most casual fan interested. Any of the top three teams should fancy their chances of getting into the knockout stages, leaving Brugge as the odd one out. Keep an eye on Monaco’s latest summer signing, Aleksandr Golovin, and Atletico’s Gelson Martins as the two take on defenders and make things happen from midfield.
Group B
Barcelona, Tottenham, PSV, Inter
Predicted to advance: Barcelona, Tottenham
Best matchup: Tottenham vs. Inter
Player to watch: Hirving Lozano
This one feels like the Group of Death. There’s a lot of attacking potential from this quartet, with the likes of Lozano, Ivan Perisic, Ousmane Dembele, and Heung-Min Son set to entertain on the flanks. Tottenham and Inter should contest the best matches of the group, especially considering Spurs’ recent success against Italian teams. It’s a difficult run of games for the Nerazzurri, though there was always a risk they would face a tough draw as a lowly fourth seed. PSV have a difficult go as well, but now’s the opportunity to show Dutch football in a positive light.
Group C
Paris Saint-Germain, Napoli, Liverpool, Red Star
Predicted to advance: PSG, Liverpool
Best matchup: Napoli vs. Liverpool
Player to watch: Naby Keita
Joining the headliners is Group C, which offers emotional storylines, cross-continent travel, and the prospect of scintillating football. Edinson Cavani’s return to Napoli – where he first shot to fame as a raw, greasy-haired striker – will draw cheers in southern Italy. That match between PSG and Napoli is a fantastic test for the Partenopei and an opportunity for Carlo Ancelotti to face his former side. However, Liverpool’s meeting with Napoli is arguably the pick of the bunch. The potential for goals is high between these two sides, a clash of relentless brands of football featuring high lines and rigorous pressing. Keita is at the heart of Liverpool’s push, representing a massive upgrade in midfield following his arrival from RB Leipzig.
Group D
Lokomotiv Moscow, Porto, Schalke, Galatasaray
Predicted to advance: Porto, Lokomotiv
Best matchup: Porto vs. Galatasaray
Player to watch: Henry Onyekuru
Group D isn’t one for the neutrals. There’s not much that grabs headlines here, unless it’s in the stands of Galatasaray’s stadium. Porto have every reason to feel they can win the group and reach the round of 16 for a third consecutive season. Who else will advance is a toss-up, as none of Lokomotiv, Schalke, or Galatasaray seem head and shoulders above the competition. The 2017-18 Russian Premier League champions have made some decent signings, including Benedikt Howedes and Grzegorz Krychowiak, but no one player stands out. Nineteen-year-old midfielder Onyekuru, who’s on loan at Galatasaray from Everton, may be the most promising player to watch.
Group E
Bayern Munich, Benfica, Ajax, AEK Athens
Predicted to advance: Bayern, Ajax
Best matchup: Benfica vs. Ajax
Player to watch: Hakim Ziyech
Group E is deceiving. Although it may look like Bayern have a direct route to the next round, Benfica and Ajax are good enough to complicate matters. Bayern did little to reinforce their team, putting more pressure on the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Arjen Robben to win matches on their own. Benfica have continued to hone their talent – Ruben Dias is a fine defender in the making – while Ajax did well to avoid a firesale this summer. Moroccan midfielder Hakim Ziyech is a fantastic playmaker who can set up goals and score from distance, and teammate Dusan Tadic is a capable matchwinner whose linkup play could prove troublesome. It’s not as straightforward as it seems.
Group F
Manchester City, Shakhtar Donetsk, Lyon, Hoffenheim
Predicted to advance: City, Lyon
Best matchup: Lyon vs. Hoffenheim
Player to watch: Houssem Aouar
Here’s another group with a few traps. City stumbled against Shakhtar in last season’s group stage, and the youthfulness of Lyon and Hoffenheim could send a jolt through the Premier League champions. The latter two opponents have average ages of 24.1 and 25 years, respectively, with the 20-year-old Aouar already holding the keys to Les Gones’ midfield. Hoffenheim’s innovative training techniques have also paid dividends. City will have to work hard to break down each of their opponents.
Group G
Real Madrid, Roma, CSKA Moscow, Plzen
Predicted to advance: Madrid, Roma
Best matchup: Madrid vs. Roma
Player to watch: Justin Kluivert
A classic case of two halves. Madrid and Roma are destined to make it out of Group G, with CSKA and Plzen set to compete for the right to claim third and the Europa League spot that goes with it. Los Blancos swept aside the Giallorossi in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Champions League, and considering their superiority in midfield, they could deal their Italian brethren another blow. Manager Eusebio Di Francesco either aces his tactics or bombs completely, so it’s imperative he gets his approach right against the three-time defending European champions.
Group H
Juventus, Manchester United, Valencia, Young Boys
Predicted to advance: Juventus, United
Best matchup: Juventus vs. United
Player to watch: Goncalo Guedes
This is a nice group to round out the competition. Paul Pogba will face the Old Lady for the first time since his €100-million transfer to United, Cristiano Ronaldo will return to Old Trafford, and Valencia will try to break up the love-in with some good football of their own. The Bianconeri clearly have the most competitive squad of the four teams, but Mourinho’s record in cup competitions cannot be ignored. Valencia also boast some fantastic speed on the wings, especially with Guedes rejoining the side on a permanent basis.
