Cristiano Ronaldo was singled out by Atletico Madrid fans on Wednesday as Juventus lost 2-0 in the Champions League last 16 but the former Real Madrid forward was quick to point out his stellar record in the competition.

"I won five Champions Leagues and these guys zero," Ronaldo told reporters after the game, holding up his hand in the shape of a 'zero' to drive home his point.

The Portuguese forward was jeered throughout the match at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, where Atletico got late goals from Uruguayan defenders Jose Gimenez and Diego Godin to take a vital lead into the return leg on March 12.

He responded to the taunts by holding up five fingers to indicate the number of times he had won the competition, four times with arch-rivals Real and once with Manchester United.

Atletico have reached the final of Europe's elite club competition three times but never lifted the trophy.

They lost to Ronaldo's Real Madrid in 2014 and 2016.

Cristiano Ronaldo was singled out by Atletico Madrid fans on Wednesday as Juventus lost 2-0 in the Champions League last 16 but the former Real Madrid forward was quick to point out his stellar record in the competition.

Cristiano Ronaldo was singled out by Atletico Madrid fans on Wednesday as Juventus lost 2-0 in the Champions League last 16 but the former Real Madrid forward was quick to point out his stellar record in the competition. "I won five Champions Leagues and these guys zero," Ronaldo told reporters after the game, holding up his hand in the shape of a 'zero' to drive home his point. The Portuguese forward was jeered throughout the match at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, where Atletico got late goals from Uruguayan defenders Jose Gimenez and Diego Godin to take a vital lead into the return leg on March 12. He responded to the taunts by holding up five fingers to indicate the number of times he had won the competition, four times with arch-rivals Real and once with Manchester United. Atletico have reached the final of Europe's elite club competition three times but never lifted the trophy. They lost to Ronaldo's Real Madrid in 2014 and 2016.

'I have won five Champions Leagues and these guys zero', says Ronaldo after defeat to Atletico Madrid

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has said Cristiano Ronaldo boosts his side's chances in Wednesday's Champions League last-16 first leg at Atletico Madrid but his presence alone would not guarantee their progress in the competition.

The Portuguese forward, a five-times Champions League winner and the competition's all-time top scorer, has scored 21 goals since moving from Real Madrid and will be reacquainted with one of his favourite victims at the Wanda Metropolitano.

Ronaldo, 34, has scored 22 goals against Atletico, including a hat-trick in a Champions League semi-final first leg in 2017, a penalty in a 4-1 win in the 2014 final, as well as converting the final spot-kick in a shootout win in the 2016 final.

"We are not obliged to win just because we have Cristiano, we must also work hard all over the pitch and have our share of luck, which is also important," Allegri told a news conference.

"Having him is an advantage, but it's not all about Ronaldo. We have to remember we are facing a team who are very good in defence and very dangerous from set pieces and have done very well in Europe in recent years."

Allegri, whose side are top of Serie A and are unbeaten in the league, said midfielder Sami Khedira had stayed in Turin for medical reasons, with the club later releasing a statement saying he had an irregular heartbeat.

Atletico coach Diego Simeone said he would monitor influential midfielder Koke's fitness before deciding whether he would start against Juventus, adding that Diego Costa was not ready to play the whole game.

Spain international Koke was given the all-clear to play in Wednesday's game, after almost a month on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, along with Costa, who has only just returned from over two months out following foot surgery.

"We will have to see how he (Koke) feels tomorrow but he's enthusiastic about playing and full of hope," Simeone said.

"I feel very excited about being in the Champions League again, in such a great competition and against such a powerful team. After not making it (to the knockout stages) last year, we want to make it to the next round to grow as a team and a club."

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has said Cristiano Ronaldo boosts his side's chances in Wednesday's Champions League last-16 first leg at Atletico Madrid but his presence alone would not guarantee their progress in the competition.

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has said Cristiano Ronaldo boosts his side's chances in Wednesday's Champions League last-16 first leg at Atletico Madrid but his presence alone would not guarantee their progress in the competition. The Portuguese forward, a five-times Champions League winner and the competition's all-time top scorer, has scored 21 goals since moving from Real Madrid and will be reacquainted with one of his favourite victims at the Wanda Metropolitano. Ronaldo, 34, has scored 22 goals against Atletico, including a hat-trick in a Champions League semi-final first leg in 2017, a penalty in a 4-1 win in the 2014 final, as well as converting the final spot-kick in a shootout win in the 2016 final. "We are not obliged to win just because we have Cristiano, we must also work hard all over the pitch and have our share of luck, which is also important," Allegri told a news conference. "Having him is an advantage, but it's not all about Ronaldo. We have to remember we are facing a team who are very good in defence and very dangerous from set pieces and have done very well in Europe in recent years." Allegri, whose side are top of Serie A and are unbeaten in the league, said midfielder Sami Khedira had stayed in Turin for medical reasons, with the club later releasing a statement saying he had an irregular heartbeat. Atletico coach Diego Simeone said he would monitor influential midfielder Koke's fitness before deciding whether he would start against Juventus, adding that Diego Costa was not ready to play the whole game. Spain international Koke was given the all-clear to play in Wednesday's game, after almost a month on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, along with Costa, who has only just returned from over two months out following foot surgery. "We will have to see how he (Koke) feels tomorrow but he's enthusiastic about playing and full of hope," Simeone said. "I feel very excited about being in the Champions League again, in such a great competition and against such a powerful team. After not making it (to the knockout stages) last year, we want to make it to the next round to grow as a team and a club."

Ronaldo boosts Juventus hopes but is not everything, says coach Allegri

Las Vegas police have asked soccer star <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-i-wont-lie-im-a-happy-man-says-ronaldo-on-kathryn-mayorga-claims-ahead-of-manchester-united-clash-172936">Cristiano Ronaldo to submit a DNA sample </a>as part of their investigation into accusations of rape made against the Juventus forward.

Ronaldo's lawyer<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/real-madrid-says-it-will-sue-over-ronaldo-rape-saga-report-171115">, Peter Christiansen, played down the significance</a> of the warrant sent to authorities in Italy, telling AFP in a statement on Thursday it was standard procedure.

"Mr Ronaldo has always maintained, as he does today, that what occurred in Las Vegas in 2009 was consensual in nature, so it is not surprising that DNA would be present, nor that the police would make this very standard request as part of their investigation," the statement said.

A former American model, Kathryn Mayorga, 34, of Las Vegas, accused Ronaldo in a complaint filed last year in Nevada of raping her on June 13, 2009 just before he joined Real Madrid from Manchester United.

Ronaldo, 33, has vehemently denied the allegations and has been backed by his current club.&nbsp;

Mayorga alleges that the sportsman raped her at a Las Vegas hotel and she was reportedly paid $375,000 to keep quiet.

Ronaldo's lawyers have said that the non-disclosure agreement signed with the former model is "by no means a confession of guilt."

Mayorga's attorney has previously said that the model agreed to an out-of-court settlement to keep her name from going public but was inspired to speak out by the #MeToo movement.

She met Ronaldo at a Vegas nightclub, according to her complaint, and accompanied him and other people to his hotel suite where the alleged attack took place.

Mayorga's attorney could not immediately be reached for comment on Thursday.

Las Vegas police have asked soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo to submit a DNA sample as part of their investigation into accusations of rape made against the Juventus forward.

Las Vegas police have asked soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo to submit a DNA sample as part of their investigation into accusations of rape made against the Juventus forward. Ronaldo's lawyer, Peter Christiansen, played down the significance of the warrant sent to authorities in Italy, telling AFP in a statement on Thursday it was standard procedure. "Mr Ronaldo has always maintained, as he does today, that what occurred in Las Vegas in 2009 was consensual in nature, so it is not surprising that DNA would be present, nor that the police would make this very standard request as part of their investigation," the statement said. A former American model, Kathryn Mayorga, 34, of Las Vegas, accused Ronaldo in a complaint filed last year in Nevada of raping her on June 13, 2009 just before he joined Real Madrid from Manchester United. Ronaldo, 33, has vehemently denied the allegations and has been backed by his current club. Mayorga alleges that the sportsman raped her at a Las Vegas hotel and she was reportedly paid $375,000 to keep quiet. Ronaldo's lawyers have said that the non-disclosure agreement signed with the former model is "by no means a confession of guilt." Mayorga's attorney has previously said that the model agreed to an out-of-court settlement to keep her name from going public but was inspired to speak out by the #MeToo movement. She met Ronaldo at a Vegas nightclub, according to her complaint, and accompanied him and other people to his hotel suite where the alleged attack took place. Mayorga's attorney could not immediately be reached for comment on Thursday.

US police asks Cristiano Ronaldo to submit DNA sample in rape case

Cristiano Ronaldo won the Globe Soccer Awards' Best Player of the Year prize for the sixth year in a row on Thursday during the award ceremony held Dubai's Madinat Jumeirah Resort.&nbsp;

Ronaldo won the award ahead of Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann and Paris Saint Germain forward Kylian Mbappe, both of whom were part of the French squad that won the 2018 FIFA World Cup held in Russia.&nbsp;

After winning the award, Ronaldo said, "It's been a tough year, I win many trophies this year, the Champions league, and it was unbelievable here again. So I'm so glad to win one more trophy, as I say before 2019, it's a new year and I'm dreaming to win many, many things, many important trophies for Juventus."&nbsp;

The news was announced on the organisation's&nbsp;official Twitter account, it read, "Cristiano Ronaldo is the winner of the Best Player Of The Year Award, presented by His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Vice President of the Dubai Sports Council."

Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, won the Best Club of the Year award, prevailing over Real Madrid and Liverpool.

Atleti won the 2017-18 Europa League title and the 2018 UEFA Super Cup after defeating its cross-town rival Real Madrid 4-2.

French manager Didier Deschamps took home the Best Coach honour, having led the French national team to win the FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Deschamps won the trophy ahead of Atletico Madrid's Diego Simeone, Juventus' Massimiliano Allegri, Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp and former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane.

Legendary Brazil forward Ronaldo Nazario de Lima earned the Player Career Award.

Cristiano Ronaldo won the Globe Soccer Awards' Best Player of the Year prize for the sixth year in a row on Thursday during the award ceremony held Dubai's Madinat Jumeirah Resort.

Cristiano Ronaldo won the Globe Soccer Awards' Best Player of the Year prize for the sixth year in a row on Thursday during the award ceremony held Dubai's Madinat Jumeirah Resort. Ronaldo won the award ahead of Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann and Paris Saint Germain forward Kylian Mbappe, both of whom were part of the French squad that won the 2018 FIFA World Cup held in Russia. After winning the award, Ronaldo said, "It's been a tough year, I win many trophies this year, the Champions league, and it was unbelievable here again. So I'm so glad to win one more trophy, as I say before 2019, it's a new year and I'm dreaming to win many, many things, many important trophies for Juventus." The news was announced on the organisation's official Twitter account, it read, "Cristiano Ronaldo is the winner of the Best Player Of The Year Award, presented by His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Vice President of the Dubai Sports Council." Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, won the Best Club of the Year award, prevailing over Real Madrid and Liverpool. Atleti won the 2017-18 Europa League title and the 2018 UEFA Super Cup after defeating its cross-town rival Real Madrid 4-2. French manager Didier Deschamps took home the Best Coach honour, having led the French national team to win the FIFA World Cup in Russia. Deschamps won the trophy ahead of Atletico Madrid's Diego Simeone, Juventus' Massimiliano Allegri, Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp and former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane. Legendary Brazil forward Ronaldo Nazario de Lima earned the Player Career Award.

Cristiano Ronaldo wins Globe Soccer player of the year award

Juventus striker Cristiano Ronaldo would like Barcelona's Lionel Messi to leave Spain and rekindle their rivalry by joining him in the Italian top flight.

Ronaldo moved to Serie A champions Juventus in July for 100 million euros ($113.76 million) after spending nine trophy-laden seasons at Real Madrid.

Messi and Ronaldo have dominated the global football landscape for a decade, each winning the Ballon d'Or five times before Croatia international midfielder Luka Modric broke their stranglehold by claiming the coveted award this year.

"I'd like (Messi) to come to Italy one day," Ronaldo told reporters. "I hope he accepts the challenge like me, but if he's happy there then I respect that."

Asked if he missed his rivalry with Messi, Ronaldo suggested it might be the other way round.

"No, maybe it`s him who misses me," he said. "I`ve played in England, Spain, Italy, Portugal and for my national team, while he`s still in Spain. Maybe he needs me more.

Juventus striker Cristiano Ronaldo would like Barcelona's Lionel Messi to leave Spain and rekindle their rivalry by joining him in the Italian top flight. Ronaldo moved to Serie A champions Juventus in July for 100 million euros ($113.

Juventus striker Cristiano Ronaldo would like Barcelona's Lionel Messi to leave Spain and rekindle their rivalry by joining him in the Italian top flight. Ronaldo moved to Serie A champions Juventus in July for 100 million euros ($113.76 million) after spending nine trophy-laden seasons at Real Madrid. Messi and Ronaldo have dominated the global football landscape for a decade, each winning the Ballon d'Or five times before Croatia international midfielder Luka Modric broke their stranglehold by claiming the coveted award this year. "I'd like (Messi) to come to Italy one day," Ronaldo told reporters. "I hope he accepts the challenge like me, but if he's happy there then I respect that." Asked if he missed his rivalry with Messi, Ronaldo suggested it might be the other way round. "No, maybe it`s him who misses me," he said. "I`ve played in England, Spain, Italy, Portugal and for my national team, while he`s still in Spain. Maybe he needs me more.

Ronaldo wants Messi to resume their rivalry in Italy

AC Milan's former owner Li Yonghong wanted to sign Cristiano Ronaldo a year before the five-time Ballon d'Or winner joined Juventus but was persuaded they could not afford him, ex-club chief executive Marco Fassone said on Tuesday.

Fassone - ousted along with Li from the debt-ridden Italian club last summer -- was speaking as Milan's representatives met with UEFA officials in Nyon, Switzerland on Tuesday amid impending sanctions for breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.

"Mr. Li wanted Ronaldo because he believed he (Ronaldo) had great strength in the Chinese market," Fassone told Italian daily newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore.

"The player wanted to leave Madrid. We met in July 2017 with his agent (Jorge) Mendes, to check the costs and availability of the player. Then I persuaded Mr. Li to let go of the dream, because Ronaldo was too expensive."&nbsp;

Li purchased the seven-time European champions from former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi for 740 million euros ($845 million) in April 2017, before splashing out 230 million euros on players.

And Fassone conceded he did not know the source of Li's revenues, with the club making losses of 126 million euros before defaulting on loans and being taken over by US hedge fund Elliot Management last summer.

"I don't know where the money came from, but prestigious advisors were involved in the deal so why should I have doubted him (Li)?" said Fassone.

The club won an appeal against their exclusion from this season's Europa League but are facing a hefty UEFA fine for breaching FFF rules for the period 2014-2017 with a decision expected in the coming weeks.

"I think Milan were led by an excellent board of directors," insisted Fassone.

"That 126 million euro debt included 45-million-euro extraordinary costs, covered entirely by Elliott.

"I don't hear from Li anymore, although sometimes I do from his right-hand man (David) Han Li," he added.&nbsp;

AC Milan's former owner Li Yonghong wanted to sign Cristiano Ronaldo a year before the five-time Ballon d'Or winner joined Juventus but was persuaded they could not afford him, ex-club chief executive Marco Fassone said on Tuesday.

AC Milan's former owner Li Yonghong wanted to sign Cristiano Ronaldo a year before the five-time Ballon d'Or winner joined Juventus but was persuaded they could not afford him, ex-club chief executive Marco Fassone said on Tuesday. Fassone - ousted along with Li from the debt-ridden Italian club last summer -- was speaking as Milan's representatives met with UEFA officials in Nyon, Switzerland on Tuesday amid impending sanctions for breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. "Mr. Li wanted Ronaldo because he believed he (Ronaldo) had great strength in the Chinese market," Fassone told Italian daily newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore. "The player wanted to leave Madrid. We met in July 2017 with his agent (Jorge) Mendes, to check the costs and availability of the player. Then I persuaded Mr. Li to let go of the dream, because Ronaldo was too expensive." Li purchased the seven-time European champions from former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi for 740 million euros ($845 million) in April 2017, before splashing out 230 million euros on players. And Fassone conceded he did not know the source of Li's revenues, with the club making losses of 126 million euros before defaulting on loans and being taken over by US hedge fund Elliot Management last summer. "I don't know where the money came from, but prestigious advisors were involved in the deal so why should I have doubted him (Li)?" said Fassone. The club won an appeal against their exclusion from this season's Europa League but are facing a hefty UEFA fine for breaching FFF rules for the period 2014-2017 with a decision expected in the coming weeks. "I think Milan were led by an excellent board of directors," insisted Fassone. "That 126 million euro debt included 45-million-euro extraordinary costs, covered entirely by Elliott. "I don't hear from Li anymore, although sometimes I do from his right-hand man (David) Han Li," he added.

AC Milan's former Chinese owner Li thwarted in Ronaldo bid

Considered as one of the best football players in the world, striker Cristiano Ronaldo on Monday night found a new job of a ball kid at the ongoing ATP Finals.

Ronaldo got involved in ball kid duties while watching world number one Novak Djokovic's opening match against John Isner of America as the tennis ball bounced into the stands near the first row where he was sitting.

Pleased to see Ronaldo watching tennis, Djokovic, who was wearing black and white, jokingly said, "I had colours of his club on my attire tonight. I`m sure he was happy to see that."It is not the first time that Juventus forward has watched any professional tennis.

Last year, the football star was in attendance to watch Spaniard Rafael Nadal beat Djokovic in the semi-finals of the Mutua Madrid Open."It is great to have big football star like him, courtside watching tennis. He used to come and watch Rafa (Rafael Nadal), Roger (Federer) and myself in Madrid.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
🤲 <a href="https://twitter.com/Cristiano?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Cristiano</a> - better with his feet 🤣 
 
You can watch the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NittoATPFinals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NittoATPFinals</a> on <a href="https://twitter.com/TennisTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TennisTV</a> 📺 <a href="https://t.co/KChYu4Sy6j">pic.twitter.com/KChYu4Sy6j</a>
— ATP World Tour (@ATPWorldTour) <a href="https://twitter.com/ATPWorldTour/status/1062092424988819457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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He's a fan of tennis," Djokovic said."He`s one of the biggest sports stars in the last decade. It is great for our sport to have him. I saw he was there with his family. Didn`t get a chance to see him after the match, but hopefully, I`ll have that chance maybe later this week," he added.

Djokovic, who went on to win the match by 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 14 minutes, will be back in action on Wednesday when he faces Alexander Zverev of Germany.&nbsp;

Considered as one of the best football players in the world, striker Cristiano Ronaldo on Monday night found a new job of a ball kid at the ongoing ATP Finals. Ronaldo got involved in ball kid duties while watching world number one Novak Djokovic's opening match against John Isner of America as the tennis ball bounced into the stands near the first row where he was sitting.

Considered as one of the best football players in the world, striker Cristiano Ronaldo on Monday night found a new job of a ball kid at the ongoing ATP Finals. Ronaldo got involved in ball kid duties while watching world number one Novak Djokovic's opening match against John Isner of America as the tennis ball bounced into the stands near the first row where he was sitting. Pleased to see Ronaldo watching tennis, Djokovic, who was wearing black and white, jokingly said, "I had colours of his club on my attire tonight. I`m sure he was happy to see that."It is not the first time that Juventus forward has watched any professional tennis. Last year, the football star was in attendance to watch Spaniard Rafael Nadal beat Djokovic in the semi-finals of the Mutua Madrid Open."It is great to have big football star like him, courtside watching tennis. He used to come and watch Rafa (Rafael Nadal), Roger (Federer) and myself in Madrid. 🤲 @Cristiano - better with his feet 🤣 You can watch the #NittoATPFinals on @TennisTV 📺 pic.twitter.com/KChYu4Sy6j — ATP World Tour (@ATPWorldTour) November 12, 2018 × He's a fan of tennis," Djokovic said."He`s one of the biggest sports stars in the last decade. It is great for our sport to have him. I saw he was there with his family. Didn`t get a chance to see him after the match, but hopefully, I`ll have that chance maybe later this week," he added. Djokovic, who went on to win the match by 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 14 minutes, will be back in action on Wednesday when he faces Alexander Zverev of Germany.

Watch: Ronaldo becomes ball kid during Djokovic's opener at ATP Finals

The current European Champions Real Madrid have been dealing with several 'real' problems of the club footballing world since the start of the 2018-19 season as their performance graph has dropped to an unexpected level.

The exit of Real's former coach Zinedine Zidane might have left the Madristas hanging by a thread. But the departure of Madrid talisman&nbsp;Cristiano Ronaldo&nbsp;to the Italian giant Juventus left a huge void in the squad.&nbsp;

Zidane's replacement, Julen Lopetegui, did not even lost halfway through the season before he was fired while not finding an appropriate replacement for Ronaldo further compounded the problems.&nbsp;

Due to the club's poor performances, especially after a 5-1 mauling by arch-rivals Barcelona in El Clasico, Lopetegui was sacked and former player and reserve team boss Santiago Solari was appointed as the interim coach.

During Lopetegui's 10 La Liga games in charge, Real won four, drew two and lost four.

Currently, the club is languishing at&nbsp;6th place but they definitely have adequate time to bounce back and mount a serious challenge for the title and book a berth in next year's Champions League.&nbsp;

The problems are evident and the solution or the 'instant remedy' lies on a player who lived under the shadows of Cristiano -- Gareth Bale.&nbsp;

In addition to that, a proper management will do the trick.

Bale is a player whom Zidane has repeatedly misused and left out of the starting line-up in a majority of games in his last season as manager. Bale spent 2,362 minutes on the field and scored 21 goals, few decisive ones in the last season.

So far in this season, Bale has played 1,089 minutes and scored five goals for the club.&nbsp;

The strained relationship between Bale and Zidane may have led to the Welshman looking for an exit but the latest trends suggest that this is the best opportunity for Bale to emerge as the hero leave a lasting impression.

The 29-year-old can show-off his creativity for which he is popular among the millennials, while Dani Carvajal, Marcelo and Raphael Varane are struggling with injuries while Luka Modric, who was magnificent during Croatia's World Cup campaign is yet to recover from fatigue.

Apart from much-criticised goal-scoring problems, which resulted in the club's downfall this season, the defence has been exposed which resulted in club conceding many goals.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Amid the coach-controversy, inexperienced Alvaro Odriozola, in for Dani Carvajal at right-back and Sergio Ramos' performances have escaped criticism.&nbsp;

However, Bale's efforts will never be enough to clinch the title. The huge void that Ronaldo left can be filled during the winter transfer by bringing in a cutting-edge finisher like the Portuguese.&nbsp;

If Real wants to sail through this difficult phase, Bale needs to step up and prove that he is capable of living up to the huge expectations of the club as he did in the in the last year Champions League final to beat Liverpool 3-1 by scoring twice.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The current European Champions Real Madrid have been dealing with several 'real' problems of the club footballing world since the start of the 2018-19 season as their performance graph has dropped to an unexpected level.

The current European Champions Real Madrid have been dealing with several 'real' problems of the club footballing world since the start of the 2018-19 season as their performance graph has dropped to an unexpected level. The exit of Real's former coach Zinedine Zidane might have left the Madristas hanging by a thread. But the departure of Madrid talisman Cristiano Ronaldo to the Italian giant Juventus left a huge void in the squad. Zidane's replacement, Julen Lopetegui, did not even lost halfway through the season before he was fired while not finding an appropriate replacement for Ronaldo further compounded the problems. Due to the club's poor performances, especially after a 5-1 mauling by arch-rivals Barcelona in El Clasico, Lopetegui was sacked and former player and reserve team boss Santiago Solari was appointed as the interim coach. During Lopetegui's 10 La Liga games in charge, Real won four, drew two and lost four. Currently, the club is languishing at 6th place but they definitely have adequate time to bounce back and mount a serious challenge for the title and book a berth in next year's Champions League. The problems are evident and the solution or the 'instant remedy' lies on a player who lived under the shadows of Cristiano -- Gareth Bale. In addition to that, a proper management will do the trick. Bale is a player whom Zidane has repeatedly misused and left out of the starting line-up in a majority of games in his last season as manager. Bale spent 2,362 minutes on the field and scored 21 goals, few decisive ones in the last season. So far in this season, Bale has played 1,089 minutes and scored five goals for the club. The strained relationship between Bale and Zidane may have led to the Welshman looking for an exit but the latest trends suggest that this is the best opportunity for Bale to emerge as the hero leave a lasting impression. The 29-year-old can show-off his creativity for which he is popular among the millennials, while Dani Carvajal, Marcelo and Raphael Varane are struggling with injuries while Luka Modric, who was magnificent during Croatia's World Cup campaign is yet to recover from fatigue. Apart from much-criticised goal-scoring problems, which resulted in the club's downfall this season, the defence has been exposed which resulted in club conceding many goals. Amid the coach-controversy, inexperienced Alvaro Odriozola, in for Dani Carvajal at right-back and Sergio Ramos' performances have escaped criticism. However, Bale's efforts will never be enough to clinch the title. The huge void that Ronaldo left can be filled during the winter transfer by bringing in a cutting-edge finisher like the Portuguese. If Real wants to sail through this difficult phase, Bale needs to step up and prove that he is capable of living up to the huge expectations of the club as he did in the in the last year Champions League final to beat Liverpool 3-1 by scoring twice. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Gareth Bale has solution to 'Real' problems but can he turn the tables

While La Liga features the brightest stars from the world of football, El Clasico between two club footballing superpowers -- Barcelona and Real Madrid -- has always been reckoned unrivalled rivalry.&nbsp;

For the past 10 years, it has been a personal playground for two larger-than-life global icons -- Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo -- but neither of them will be playing today when Barcelona and Real Madrid lock horns at the Nou Camp.

It's a foregone conclusion that Cristiano Ronaldo will never play in the most famous club football fixture in the world after he made the summer move to Italian behemoth Juventus but nobody expected Lionel Messi to miss out.

The Barcelona talisman was forced off the pitch after colliding with Sevilla's Franco Vazquez in the first half of his side's 4-2 last weekend

It's the 272nd edition of Clasico and the first featuring neither Messi nor Ronaldo since December 2007.

Has that taken the sheen off the brand El Clasico? To some extent, yes. But the&nbsp;footballing extravaganza of a colossal proposition&nbsp;has attracted a huge fan following over several decades.

In order to conclude that both Messi and Ronaldo have been the brightest of stars in the galaxy of world-class talent that Spanish football boasts of, we don't have to look beyond the statistics: Messi is the fixture's all-time leading scorer (26 goals) and assister (14), while Ronaldo holds the record for the most consecutive Clasicos with a goal in six games in 2012.

Since Ronaldo's departure, Madrid has missed their talisman and Barcelona know they will miss Messi today. For Madrid, Bale has some record: 200 games, 92 goals, 62 assists. But another statistic concerns: while he has played in 200, he has not played in 103. He began this season with responsibility but Madrid’s form has been teetering.&nbsp;

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Madrid's midfield stars Luka Modric and Toni Kroos have not found their feet; defensively, the team have been dreadful, Sergio Ramos especially; Benzema’s evolution into a No 9 again is not complete, and nor is Bale's evolution into a leader.&nbsp;

The club went five games without scoring. Coach Julen Lopetegui bemoaned misfortune but there was more, and it brought the head coach to the edge of the abyss.

Monday is Lopetegui's 137th day as manager. It may also be his last. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but one day and soon, he will be sacked. The same lack of alternatives and time that helped put him in the job are all that keep him in it.

Lose on Sunday and Madrid would be seven points behind Barcelona; win and they would be only one point off – and favouritism so rarely plays out the way it should.

Defensively vulnerable, Barcelona have not always impressed either and losing Messi is huge. Asked if his absence conditioned the team, the club coach Ernesto Valverde replied: "Not at all ..." and then laughed: "We have to accept it. It doesn't bring me out in a rash to hear the word 'Messidependency'.

Data experts FiveThirtyEight put an estimate of 75m as its global audience in 2015, which would suggest that the latest meeting between these two eternal rivals is no Super Bowl or Champions League final but still a bigger worldwide televisual draw than the Oscars.

With its array of glamorous stars, a bevy of awards to be claimed and social media verdicts awaiting each and every pratfall with bated breath, El Clasico truly is a global phenomenon. And with Gareth Bale, Philippe Coutinho and Sergio Ramos on the pitch the football shouldn't be too bad either.

However, Clasico will sorely miss the two legends.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

While La Liga features the brightest stars from the world of football, El Clasico between two club footballing superpowers -- Barcelona and Real Madrid -- has always been reckoned unrivalled rivalry.

While La Liga features the brightest stars from the world of football, El Clasico between two club footballing superpowers -- Barcelona and Real Madrid -- has always been reckoned unrivalled rivalry. For the past 10 years, it has been a personal playground for two larger-than-life global icons -- Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo -- but neither of them will be playing today when Barcelona and Real Madrid lock horns at the Nou Camp. It's a foregone conclusion that Cristiano Ronaldo will never play in the most famous club football fixture in the world after he made the summer move to Italian behemoth Juventus but nobody expected Lionel Messi to miss out. The Barcelona talisman was forced off the pitch after colliding with Sevilla's Franco Vazquez in the first half of his side's 4-2 last weekend It's the 272nd edition of Clasico and the first featuring neither Messi nor Ronaldo since December 2007. Has that taken the sheen off the brand El Clasico? To some extent, yes. But the footballing extravaganza of a colossal proposition has attracted a huge fan following over several decades. In order to conclude that both Messi and Ronaldo have been the brightest of stars in the galaxy of world-class talent that Spanish football boasts of, we don't have to look beyond the statistics: Messi is the fixture's all-time leading scorer (26 goals) and assister (14), while Ronaldo holds the record for the most consecutive Clasicos with a goal in six games in 2012. Since Ronaldo's departure, Madrid has missed their talisman and Barcelona know they will miss Messi today. For Madrid, Bale has some record: 200 games, 92 goals, 62 assists. But another statistic concerns: while he has played in 200, he has not played in 103. He began this season with responsibility but Madrid’s form has been teetering. × Madrid's midfield stars Luka Modric and Toni Kroos have not found their feet; defensively, the team have been dreadful, Sergio Ramos especially; Benzema’s evolution into a No 9 again is not complete, and nor is Bale's evolution into a leader. The club went five games without scoring. Coach Julen Lopetegui bemoaned misfortune but there was more, and it brought the head coach to the edge of the abyss. Monday is Lopetegui's 137th day as manager. It may also be his last. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but one day and soon, he will be sacked. The same lack of alternatives and time that helped put him in the job are all that keep him in it. Lose on Sunday and Madrid would be seven points behind Barcelona; win and they would be only one point off – and favouritism so rarely plays out the way it should. Defensively vulnerable, Barcelona have not always impressed either and losing Messi is huge. Asked if his absence conditioned the team, the club coach Ernesto Valverde replied: "Not at all ..." and then laughed: "We have to accept it. It doesn't bring me out in a rash to hear the word 'Messidependency'. Data experts FiveThirtyEight put an estimate of 75m as its global audience in 2015, which would suggest that the latest meeting between these two eternal rivals is no Super Bowl or Champions League final but still a bigger worldwide televisual draw than the Oscars. With its array of glamorous stars, a bevy of awards to be claimed and social media verdicts awaiting each and every pratfall with bated breath, El Clasico truly is a global phenomenon. And with Gareth Bale, Philippe Coutinho and Sergio Ramos on the pitch the football shouldn't be too bad either. However, Clasico will sorely miss the two legends. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Can El Clasico sans Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo light up Camp Nou?

Cristiano&nbsp;Ronaldo&nbsp;has said he decided to leave Real Madrid for Juventus after sensing that the Spanish club's president, Florentino Perez, no longer saw him as being "indispensable".

"I felt within the club, especially from the president, that I was no longer considered in the same way as I was at the beginning,"&nbsp;Ronaldo&nbsp;said in an interview with France Football magazine.

"For the first four or five years, I felt like&nbsp;Cristiano&nbsp;Ronaldo. Less so after.

"The president looked at me in a way that suggested I was no longer indispensable, if you know what I mean. That is what made me think about leaving."

The 33-year-old Portuguese superstar joined Juventus in a 100 million-euro ($115 million) deal in July, ending a glorious nine-year association with Real.

His last act with the Spanish club was to participate in them winning the Champions League for a third consecutive season by beating Liverpool in the final in May.

But Zinedine Zidane departed as coach in the wake of that game, something which&nbsp;Ronaldo&nbsp;admits confirmed to him that it might be time to move on.

"My decision to leave was not based on him going. That said, it was one of the little details that confirmed to me what I had been thinking about the situation at the club,"&nbsp;Ronaldo&nbsp;said.

He added that he would "deserve" to win the Ballon d'Or this year, and in doing so would pass Lionel Messi by taking the award for a sixth time.

The winner of the prize, awarded by France Football, will be announced in early December.

But while&nbsp;Ronaldo&nbsp;continues to enjoy great success on the field, scoring twice for Juventus at the weekend, he remains embroiled in off-pitch problems after being accused of rape in the United States.

A former American model Kathryn Mayorga, 34, of Las Vegas, accused&nbsp;Ronaldo&nbsp;in a 32-page complaint filed last month with a district court in Nevada, of raping her in June 2009, just before he joined Madrid from Manchester United.

"Of course this matter interferes with my life. I have a partner, four children, an ageing mother, sisters, a brother, a family with whom I am very close," he told the magazine.

"That is without talking about my reputation, that of an exemplary person.

"Imagine what that is like to have someone say you are a rapist, or that you have this or that.

"I know who I am and what I did. The truth will come out. And the people who criticise me and who expose my life today, who make a song and dance about it, these people will see."

Cristiano Ronaldo has said he decided to leave Real Madrid for Juventus after sensing that the Spanish club's president, Florentino Perez, no longer saw him as being "indispensable".

Cristiano Ronaldo has said he decided to leave Real Madrid for Juventus after sensing that the Spanish club's president, Florentino Perez, no longer saw him as being "indispensable". "I felt within the club, especially from the president, that I was no longer considered in the same way as I was at the beginning," Ronaldo said in an interview with France Football magazine. "For the first four or five years, I felt like Cristiano Ronaldo. Less so after. "The president looked at me in a way that suggested I was no longer indispensable, if you know what I mean. That is what made me think about leaving." The 33-year-old Portuguese superstar joined Juventus in a 100 million-euro ($115 million) deal in July, ending a glorious nine-year association with Real. His last act with the Spanish club was to participate in them winning the Champions League for a third consecutive season by beating Liverpool in the final in May. But Zinedine Zidane departed as coach in the wake of that game, something which Ronaldo admits confirmed to him that it might be time to move on. "My decision to leave was not based on him going. That said, it was one of the little details that confirmed to me what I had been thinking about the situation at the club," Ronaldo said. He added that he would "deserve" to win the Ballon d'Or this year, and in doing so would pass Lionel Messi by taking the award for a sixth time. The winner of the prize, awarded by France Football, will be announced in early December. But while Ronaldo continues to enjoy great success on the field, scoring twice for Juventus at the weekend, he remains embroiled in off-pitch problems after being accused of rape in the United States. A former American model Kathryn Mayorga, 34, of Las Vegas, accused Ronaldo in a 32-page complaint filed last month with a district court in Nevada, of raping her in June 2009, just before he joined Madrid from Manchester United. "Of course this matter interferes with my life. I have a partner, four children, an ageing mother, sisters, a brother, a family with whom I am very close," he told the magazine. "That is without talking about my reputation, that of an exemplary person. "Imagine what that is like to have someone say you are a rapist, or that you have this or that. "I know who I am and what I did. The truth will come out. And the people who criticise me and who expose my life today, who make a song and dance about it, these people will see."

Left Real Madrid because of club president Florentino Perez: Cristiano Ronaldo

Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo said that he doesn't want to compare his current club with Real Madrid as both the clubs are "fantastic".

"Well I don't want to compare Real Madrid with Juventus, they are both unbelievable teams, they are fantastic clubs," said Ronaldo while speaking in a press conference ahead of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/cristiano-ronaldo-prepared-for-emotional-return-to-old-trafford-172943">Manchester United Champions League clash</a>.

The 33-year-old has spent nearly nine years at Real Madrid, winning four Champions League with the club after that he moved to the Italian side for €100m (£88.3m) fee in July 2018.

Ronaldo's bicycle kick goal for Real Madrid away to Juventus in April won UEFA's vote for the goal of the season.

He also said, "I did my journey at Real Madrid, now it's my new chapter at Juve, which for me is one of the best clubs in the world."

"So I'm glad, I'm glad to play here in Manchester, Real Madrid, now at Juve. I'm a happy man and lucky man too."

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Juventus - two-time European champions but not since 1996 - have reached two of the last four finals, and are among the favourites to go all the way this season.

Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo said that he doesn't want to compare his current club with Real Madrid as both the clubs are "fantastic". "Well I don't want to compare Real Madrid with Juventus, they are both unbelievable teams, they are fantastic clubs," said Ronaldo while speaking in a press conference ahead of Manchester United Champions League clash.

Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo said that he doesn't want to compare his current club with Real Madrid as both the clubs are "fantastic". "Well I don't want to compare Real Madrid with Juventus, they are both unbelievable teams, they are fantastic clubs," said Ronaldo while speaking in a press conference ahead of Manchester United Champions League clash. The 33-year-old has spent nearly nine years at Real Madrid, winning four Champions League with the club after that he moved to the Italian side for €100m (£88.3m) fee in July 2018. Ronaldo's bicycle kick goal for Real Madrid away to Juventus in April won UEFA's vote for the goal of the season. He also said, "I did my journey at Real Madrid, now it's my new chapter at Juve, which for me is one of the best clubs in the world." "So I'm glad, I'm glad to play here in Manchester, Real Madrid, now at Juve. I'm a happy man and lucky man too." × Juventus - two-time European champions but not since 1996 - have reached two of the last four finals, and are among the favourites to go all the way this season.

'Don't want to compare Real Madrid with Juventus,' says Cristiano Ronaldo

Juventus forward Cristiano&nbsp;Ronaldo&nbsp;is ready for an emotional return to his former club Manchester United in the Champions League on Tuesday but believes the Italian side can win by executing their gameplan.

Ronaldo&nbsp;is back at Old Trafford for the first time since 2013 when his goal for Real Madrid sent the Spaniards through to the Champions League quarter-finals at United's expense.

"Emotional? I can remember what it was like when I was at Manchester," the Portuguese told a news conference on Monday.

"I won lots of trophies here. I remember the support as well, the support was fantastic."

Ronaldo&nbsp;lifted three Premier League titles, the FA Cup and two League Cups plus the first of his five Champions League crowns during six years at United and expects a tough game against Jose Mourinho's team despite their recent struggles.

United are 10th in the Premier League after a sluggish start to the season and second in Champions League Group H, two points behind Juve after a win and a draw in their first two matches.

"It will be a difficult game. Manchester have a good team, they play at home,"&nbsp;Ronaldo&nbsp;said. "It will be tough for us, but we have our weapons. We have a chance, I know if we play the way the coach wants, we have a good chance to win the game."

Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri, whose team are four points clear atop Serie A after eight wins and a draw, said they would have to match United's physicality and revealed he would play with a back four to give the side more stability.

"It will be a physical game, we will have to approach it with great concentration, manage the ball and set up well on a technical level to avoid one of the greatest dangers that they can bring us, namely high balls," Allegri said.

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The Italians will be without their Croatian striker Mario Mandzukic due to an ankle injury, while their German midfielder Emre Can will miss the match because of a thyroid problem.

"I'm sorry there's no Mandzukic, though it is not anything serious with him. I'd already thought about playing with others in attack," Allegri added. "We'll probably play with a back four because in midfield we'll have to numerically match them."

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo is ready for an emotional return to his former club Manchester United in the Champions League on Tuesday but believes the Italian side can win by executing their gameplan.

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo is ready for an emotional return to his former club Manchester United in the Champions League on Tuesday but believes the Italian side can win by executing their gameplan. Ronaldo is back at Old Trafford for the first time since 2013 when his goal for Real Madrid sent the Spaniards through to the Champions League quarter-finals at United's expense. "Emotional? I can remember what it was like when I was at Manchester," the Portuguese told a news conference on Monday. "I won lots of trophies here. I remember the support as well, the support was fantastic." Ronaldo lifted three Premier League titles, the FA Cup and two League Cups plus the first of his five Champions League crowns during six years at United and expects a tough game against Jose Mourinho's team despite their recent struggles. United are 10th in the Premier League after a sluggish start to the season and second in Champions League Group H, two points behind Juve after a win and a draw in their first two matches. "It will be a difficult game. Manchester have a good team, they play at home," Ronaldo said. "It will be tough for us, but we have our weapons. We have a chance, I know if we play the way the coach wants, we have a good chance to win the game." Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri, whose team are four points clear atop Serie A after eight wins and a draw, said they would have to match United's physicality and revealed he would play with a back four to give the side more stability. "It will be a physical game, we will have to approach it with great concentration, manage the ball and set up well on a technical level to avoid one of the greatest dangers that they can bring us, namely high balls," Allegri said. × The Italians will be without their Croatian striker Mario Mandzukic due to an ankle injury, while their German midfielder Emre Can will miss the match because of a thyroid problem. "I'm sorry there's no Mandzukic, though it is not anything serious with him. I'd already thought about playing with others in attack," Allegri added. "We'll probably play with a back four because in midfield we'll have to numerically match them."

Cristiano Ronaldo prepared for emotional return to Old Trafford

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho gave short shrift when quizzed on the possibility of a sensational return to Real Madrid as he prepares for a reunion with one of his old pupils, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Juventus in the Champions League on Tuesday.

A run of five games without a win has left Real boss Julen Lopetegui on the brink of the sack just four months after accepting the thankless task of replacing Zinedine Zidane at the Bernabeu after three straight Champions League titles.

Mourinho's future at United is also in doubt with the Red Devils languishing in 10th in the Premier League, nine points off rivals Manchester City and Liverpool, just nine games into the new season.

However, the Portuguese batted away a series of questions from Spanish and Italian journalists on whether a Real return would interest him at Old Trafford on Monday, highlighting that he signed an extended contract just this year till 2020.

"No, I'm happy here. I'm happy to see my contract out to the very last day of that contract and I would like to stay after my contract ends," said Mourinho. "All I'm thinking about is Manchester United."

Ronaldo is returning to Old Trafford for just the second time since he left United to join Madrid for a world record fee in 2009.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner made his name in Manchester but showed no mercy on his last visit when he and Mourinho teamed up to dump United out of the Champions League in 2013.

And Mourinho is well aware of the challenge he faces in setting up a defence that has conceded 16 times in the Premier League already this season to stop the top scorer in the Champions League for the past six seasons.

"He is one of the best players of all time," added Mourinho. "It's as simple as that."

- Juve 'more than a contender' -

After winning seven straight Italian titles, Juventus splashed 112 million euros ($129 million) on a 33-year-old Ronaldo to take them one step further in Europe and deliver a first Champions League title for 23 years.

And Mourinho believes Italian champions are the favourites to win this year's competition.

"For the last five years or so they've been real contenders to win the title. They've been to a couple of finals, they've won Scudetti on the trot and they have a really special player, who makes a real difference as well.

"As far as I'm concerned, Juventus are more than just a contender this season to win the Champions League."

Mourinho was encouraged by his side's second-half reaction in coming from behind in a 2-2 against Chelsea on Saturday, despite the disappointment of conceding a 96th-minute equaliser.

And Romelu Lukaku called on United to start games with the same intensity they have finished in recent weeks having also turned around a 2-0 deficit to beat Newcastle 3-2 before the international break.

"The first half we just started slow. No initiative on the ball and no movement," said the Belgian striker.&nbsp;

"Then in the second half we did everything we said we wanted to do in the first half. We do it always in the second half and that's why we come back to get great results.

"But now the key is to start games how we start them in the second half, and maintain it as much as we can."

Both sides have been dealt injury blows with Alexis Sanchez missing for United, while Juventus travelled without Sami Khedira and Mario Mandzukic.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho gave short shrift when quizzed on the possibility of a sensational return to Real Madrid as he prepares for a reunion with one of his old pupils, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Juventus in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho gave short shrift when quizzed on the possibility of a sensational return to Real Madrid as he prepares for a reunion with one of his old pupils, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Juventus in the Champions League on Tuesday. A run of five games without a win has left Real boss Julen Lopetegui on the brink of the sack just four months after accepting the thankless task of replacing Zinedine Zidane at the Bernabeu after three straight Champions League titles. Mourinho's future at United is also in doubt with the Red Devils languishing in 10th in the Premier League, nine points off rivals Manchester City and Liverpool, just nine games into the new season. However, the Portuguese batted away a series of questions from Spanish and Italian journalists on whether a Real return would interest him at Old Trafford on Monday, highlighting that he signed an extended contract just this year till 2020. "No, I'm happy here. I'm happy to see my contract out to the very last day of that contract and I would like to stay after my contract ends," said Mourinho. "All I'm thinking about is Manchester United." Ronaldo is returning to Old Trafford for just the second time since he left United to join Madrid for a world record fee in 2009. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner made his name in Manchester but showed no mercy on his last visit when he and Mourinho teamed up to dump United out of the Champions League in 2013. And Mourinho is well aware of the challenge he faces in setting up a defence that has conceded 16 times in the Premier League already this season to stop the top scorer in the Champions League for the past six seasons. "He is one of the best players of all time," added Mourinho. "It's as simple as that." - Juve 'more than a contender' - After winning seven straight Italian titles, Juventus splashed 112 million euros ($129 million) on a 33-year-old Ronaldo to take them one step further in Europe and deliver a first Champions League title for 23 years. And Mourinho believes Italian champions are the favourites to win this year's competition. "For the last five years or so they've been real contenders to win the title. They've been to a couple of finals, they've won Scudetti on the trot and they have a really special player, who makes a real difference as well. "As far as I'm concerned, Juventus are more than just a contender this season to win the Champions League." Mourinho was encouraged by his side's second-half reaction in coming from behind in a 2-2 against Chelsea on Saturday, despite the disappointment of conceding a 96th-minute equaliser. And Romelu Lukaku called on United to start games with the same intensity they have finished in recent weeks having also turned around a 2-0 deficit to beat Newcastle 3-2 before the international break. "The first half we just started slow. No initiative on the ball and no movement," said the Belgian striker. "Then in the second half we did everything we said we wanted to do in the first half. We do it always in the second half and that's why we come back to get great results. "But now the key is to start games how we start them in the second half, and maintain it as much as we can." Both sides have been dealt injury blows with Alexis Sanchez missing for United, while Juventus travelled without Sami Khedira and Mario Mandzukic.

Jose Mourinho bats off Real return to focus on stopping Ronaldo

Juventus star player Cristiano Ronaldo has reached another milestone as he became the first player to score 400 goals in Europe's top five leagues.

Despite his stunning goal, Juventus dropped points for the first time this season as their perfect start came to an end in Turin on Saturday as Genoa<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/juventus-thinking-about-man-utd-as-perfect-serie-a-run-ends-172598"> earned a 1-1</a>.

Ronaldo's fifth Serie A goal for Juve was added to his 84 Premier League strikes for Manchester United and 311 in La Liga for Real Madrid.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
👏⚽️ <a href="https://twitter.com/Cristiano?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Cristiano</a> is now the first ever player to score 4️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ goals in the five major European leagues.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JuveGenoa?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JuveGenoa</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CR7JUVE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CR7JUVE</a> <a href="https://t.co/ETSFUA1w1C">pic.twitter.com/ETSFUA1w1C</a>
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) <a href="https://twitter.com/juventusfcen/status/1053745195207061504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Cristiano Ronaldo gave Juventus a deserved lead in a dominant first half when he apped in after Joao Cancelo's shot was blocked - having earlier hit the post with a header.

The hosts dominated most of the game out of their 21, only three were on target, all from Ronaldo.

The atmosphere at the Allianz Arena was dampened after racist chants during Juve’s last home league game against Napoli resulted in a closure of the ‘Curva Sud’ section of the stadium. The Italian champions, though, were allowed to fill the seats with local school children.

Juventus star player Cristiano Ronaldo has reached another milestone as he became the first player to score 400 goals in Europe's top five leagues. Despite his stunning goal, Juventus dropped points for the first time this season as their perfect start came to an end in Turin on Saturday as Genoa earned a 1-1.

Juventus star player Cristiano Ronaldo has reached another milestone as he became the first player to score 400 goals in Europe's top five leagues. Despite his stunning goal, Juventus dropped points for the first time this season as their perfect start came to an end in Turin on Saturday as Genoa earned a 1-1. Ronaldo's fifth Serie A goal for Juve was added to his 84 Premier League strikes for Manchester United and 311 in La Liga for Real Madrid. 👏⚽️ @Cristiano is now the first ever player to score 4️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ goals in the five major European leagues.#JuveGenoa #CR7JUVE pic.twitter.com/ETSFUA1w1C — JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) October 20, 2018 × Cristiano Ronaldo gave Juventus a deserved lead in a dominant first half when he apped in after Joao Cancelo's shot was blocked - having earlier hit the post with a header. The hosts dominated most of the game out of their 21, only three were on target, all from Ronaldo. The atmosphere at the Allianz Arena was dampened after racist chants during Juve’s last home league game against Napoli resulted in a closure of the ‘Curva Sud’ section of the stadium. The Italian champions, though, were allowed to fill the seats with local school children.

Juve star Cristiano Ronaldo reaches another milestone

Real Madrid said Thursday it had filed a lawsuit against a Portuguese newspaper that wrote the Spanish giants pushed Cristiano Ronaldo to hush up an alleged rape case.

Real said it had taken legal action against Correio da Manha after the paper reported Wednesday that "Real Madrid pressured him to sign" a non-disclosure accord and pay compensation to his accuser, Kathryn Mayorga.

"Real Madrid has absolutely no knowledge of any of the information that the newspaper published with regard to the player Cristiano Ronaldo, and therefore the club could not have taken action on a matter of which it had no knowledge," the club said in a statement.

Ronaldo, 33, who left Real Madrid over the summer to join Italian champions Juventus in deal worth 100 million euros, has been in turmoil since a case involving rape allegations against him, dating back to 2009, was reopened by Las Vegas police last week.

The case was originally closed after Ronaldo signed a confidentiality agreement in 2010 with Mayorga, a former model now aged 34, who received a pay-off in return for her silence.

Mayorga alleged that she had been raped on June 13, 2009, just days after Ronaldo had signed a contract with Real Madrid in a mega transfer deal from Manchester United.&nbsp;

The Portuguese newspaper reported that Real, wishing to avoid scandal, pressed Ronaldo to pay compensation to Mayorga to hush up the affair.

Ronaldo's lawyer insisted Wednesday the player did not rape the woman in a Las Vegas hotel and that their sexual encounter was "completely consensual."

"Once again, for the avoidance of doubt, Cristiano Ronaldo's position has always been, and continues to be, that what happened in 2009 in Las Vegas was completely consensual," lawyer Peter Christiansen said in a statement.

Ronaldo freely admits signing the non-disclosure accord but his lawyer insisted he simply wished to put an end to the allegations.

Christiansen also said that documents reproduced by media outlets in recent days purportedly quoting the player and including details of the non-disclosure accord involving a payment of 375,000 dollars to his accuser were false.

He said "documents that allegedly contain statements by Cristiano Ronaldo and were reproduced in the media are pure invention."

Der Spiegel, the German magazine which published the story released a statement which said, in part: "Our story is carefully researched. We have hundreds of documents from different sources that substantiate our reporting."

Real Madrid said Thursday it had filed a lawsuit against a Portuguese newspaper that wrote the Spanish giants pushed Cristiano Ronaldo to hush up an alleged rape case.

Real Madrid said Thursday it had filed a lawsuit against a Portuguese newspaper that wrote the Spanish giants pushed Cristiano Ronaldo to hush up an alleged rape case. Real said it had taken legal action against Correio da Manha after the paper reported Wednesday that "Real Madrid pressured him to sign" a non-disclosure accord and pay compensation to his accuser, Kathryn Mayorga. "Real Madrid has absolutely no knowledge of any of the information that the newspaper published with regard to the player Cristiano Ronaldo, and therefore the club could not have taken action on a matter of which it had no knowledge," the club said in a statement. Ronaldo, 33, who left Real Madrid over the summer to join Italian champions Juventus in deal worth 100 million euros, has been in turmoil since a case involving rape allegations against him, dating back to 2009, was reopened by Las Vegas police last week. The case was originally closed after Ronaldo signed a confidentiality agreement in 2010 with Mayorga, a former model now aged 34, who received a pay-off in return for her silence. Mayorga alleged that she had been raped on June 13, 2009, just days after Ronaldo had signed a contract with Real Madrid in a mega transfer deal from Manchester United. The Portuguese newspaper reported that Real, wishing to avoid scandal, pressed Ronaldo to pay compensation to Mayorga to hush up the affair. Ronaldo's lawyer insisted Wednesday the player did not rape the woman in a Las Vegas hotel and that their sexual encounter was "completely consensual." "Once again, for the avoidance of doubt, Cristiano Ronaldo's position has always been, and continues to be, that what happened in 2009 in Las Vegas was completely consensual," lawyer Peter Christiansen said in a statement. Ronaldo freely admits signing the non-disclosure accord but his lawyer insisted he simply wished to put an end to the allegations. Christiansen also said that documents reproduced by media outlets in recent days purportedly quoting the player and including details of the non-disclosure accord involving a payment of 375,000 dollars to his accuser were false. He said "documents that allegedly contain statements by Cristiano Ronaldo and were reproduced in the media are pure invention." Der Spiegel, the German magazine which published the story released a statement which said, in part: "Our story is carefully researched. We have hundreds of documents from different sources that substantiate our reporting."

Real Madrid says it will sue over Ronaldo 'rape' saga report

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/republicans-aim-to-confirm-kavanaugh-this-weekend-protesters-arrested-169504">Republicans aim to confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee Kavanaugh this weekend; protesters arrested</a>

President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans gained confidence on Thursday that his US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh would win Senate confirmation after two wavering lawmakers&nbsp;responded positively to an FBI report&nbsp;on accusations of sexual misconduct against the judge.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/going-extra-length-to-find-substitute-for-iranian-oil-for-countries-like-india-white-house-169509">Going extra length to find </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/going-extra-length-to-find-substitute-for-iranian-oil-for-countries-like-india-white-house-169509">substitute</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/going-extra-length-to-find-substitute-for-iranian-oil-for-countries-like-india-white-house-169509"> for Iranian oil for countries like India: US</a>

The White House on Thursday said that it's&nbsp;going extra length for countries like India and Iraq to find substitute for Iranian oil.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-pushes-pakistan-for-an-effective-campaign-against-terrorist-169513">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-pushes-pakistan-for-an-effective-campaign-against-terrorist-169513"> pushes Pakistan for an effective campaign against terrorists</a>

The Trump Administration in its meetings with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi this week talked about the suspension of security assistance since early this year and the importance that they place on them renewing an effective campaign against terrorists, the White House said.&nbsp;​

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-announces-new-national-strategy-for-counterterrorism-169506">Trump announces new National Strategy for Counterterrorism​​​​​​</a>

US President Donald Trump unveiled a new counter-terrorism strategy which issues a tough warning to terrorist groups and their supporters that the United States will defeat its enemies with the full force of American might.​

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/nike-concerned-about-ronaldo-rape-claims-169517">Nike 'concerned' about Ronaldo rape claims</a>

Sportswear maker Nike Inc and video game maker Electronic Arts Inc (EA) said on Thursday they were concerned about rape allegations against Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the world's best football players.

&nbsp;

Republicans aim to confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee Kavanaugh this weekend; protesters arrested President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans gained confidence on Thursday that his US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh would win Senate confirmation after two wavering lawmakers responded positively to an FBI report on accusations of sexual misconduct against the judge.

Republicans aim to confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee Kavanaugh this weekend; protesters arrested President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans gained confidence on Thursday that his US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh would win Senate confirmation after two wavering lawmakers responded positively to an FBI report on accusations of sexual misconduct against the judge. Going extra length to find substitute for Iranian oil for countries like India: US The White House on Thursday said that it's going extra length for countries like India and Iraq to find substitute for Iranian oil. US pushes Pakistan for an effective campaign against terrorists The Trump Administration in its meetings with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi this week talked about the suspension of security assistance since early this year and the importance that they place on them renewing an effective campaign against terrorists, the White House said. Trump announces new National Strategy for Counterterrorism US President Donald Trump unveiled a new counter-terrorism strategy which issues a tough warning to terrorist groups and their supporters that the United States will defeat its enemies with the full force of American might. Nike 'concerned' about Ronaldo rape claims Sportswear maker Nike Inc and video game maker Electronic Arts Inc (EA) said on Thursday they were concerned about rape allegations against Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the world's best football players.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Cristiano Ronaldo is ready to play for Juventus against Udinese this weekend despite the rape claims made against him, coach Massimiliano Allegri said on Friday as the Italian champions try to maintain their perfect start to the Serie A season.&nbsp;

"Ronaldo is doing well, he is ready to play. His professionalism and his composure on and off the pitch are not in question," Allegri told a press conference on Friday.

"He is ready to return to action tomorrow."

US police said Monday they had re-opened an investigation into accusations by former American model Kathryn Mayorga that the Portuguese player raped her in a Las Vegas hotel in June 2009.

Ronaldo has strenuously denied the accusations.

"I've known Cristiano for three months now and for over 15 years of his career he has shown to be a great professional both on and off the pitch," said Allegri of the 33-year-old striker who joined the club from Real Madrid for 100 million euros ($117 million) during the summer.&nbsp;

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🎙 <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialAllegri?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OfficialAllegri</a>: "I've known <a href="https://twitter.com/Cristiano?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Cristiano</a> for three months now and for over 15 years of his career he has shown to be a great professional both on and off the pitch. He is ready to return to action tomorrow."<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UdineseJuve?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UdineseJuve</a> <a href="https://t.co/tOJt6Lq7g6">pic.twitter.com/tOJt6Lq7g6</a>
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) <a href="https://twitter.com/juventusfcen/status/1048151575942848512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"He's dedicated and he's just as dedicated to social issues, which says it all."

Juventus travel to Udine in northeastern Italy, on the border with Slovenia, to face Udinese, who are 14th in the table.

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Ronaldo was filmed preparing for the game on Thursday, with several Juventus players later posting a photo of a team dinner in a Turin restaurant, with a smiling Ronaldo seated between Blaise Matuidi and Federico Bernardeschi.&nbsp;

"It is normal that we help him during a delicate time, but he has broad enough shoulders to focus on tomorrow's game, go down onto the pitch and play well," said Allegri.&nbsp;

Amid the storm of sponsors' concerns, and the team's share price taking a hit, Juventus are trying to focus on their quest for an eighth straight league title.

They have a maximum 21 points from seven games, six points ahead of Carlo Ancelotti's Napoli, who they beat 3-1 in Turin last weekend with Ronaldo setting up all three goals.

"Tomorrow I could go with a front three of Mario Mandzukic, Paulo Dybala and Cristiano Ronaldo, or alternatively one of them could be rested," said Allegri.

The Turin giants have also won both their Champions League games including last Tuesday's match against Swiss side Young Boys, with Ronaldo watching from the stands as he was suspended for a red card against Valencia.

"Tomorrow is a match that will ask a lot of the players both physically and mentally, so we must be prepared for that," Allegri said.

"(Udinese) have lost the last two matches, so we must not be complacent but make sure that we're on top of our game in order to enter the international break on a high."

Behind Juventus the battle for European places is very tight with Napoli, who are six points behind the champions in second. Just three points separate the third to eighth-placed teams.

Napoli, Roma and Inter Milan also all won their Champions League games during the week.

Napoli bounced back from their defeat in Turin with a last-gasp Lorenzo Insigne goal snatching a 1-0 win over Liverpool.

"It's an important victory because it shows our progression, notably on a psychological level," said Ancelotti ahead of Sunday's game at home against Sassuolo, joint third with 13 points.

Roma travel to Empoli looking for a third straight league win days after Edin Dzeko's hat-trick inspired a 5-0 win over Czech side Viktoria Plzen.

Eusebio Di Francesco's side slumped to ninth after a four-game winless streak, and a win over lowly Empoli would propel them further up the table.

Fiorentina, third with 13 points, face a stiff test at Lazio, in seventh.

Simone Inzaghi's side were stung by last week's derby defeat to Roma followed by a heavy 4-1 Europa League defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Inter Milan, also on 13 points, travel to SPAL with city rivals AC Milan, 11th with a game in hand, hosting tailenders Chievo.

Cristiano Ronaldo is ready to play for Juventus against Udinese this weekend despite the rape claims made against him, coach Massimiliano Allegri said on Friday as the Italian champions try to maintain their perfect start to the Serie A season.

Cristiano Ronaldo is ready to play for Juventus against Udinese this weekend despite the rape claims made against him, coach Massimiliano Allegri said on Friday as the Italian champions try to maintain their perfect start to the Serie A season. "Ronaldo is doing well, he is ready to play. His professionalism and his composure on and off the pitch are not in question," Allegri told a press conference on Friday. "He is ready to return to action tomorrow." US police said Monday they had re-opened an investigation into accusations by former American model Kathryn Mayorga that the Portuguese player raped her in a Las Vegas hotel in June 2009. Ronaldo has strenuously denied the accusations. "I've known Cristiano for three months now and for over 15 years of his career he has shown to be a great professional both on and off the pitch," said Allegri of the 33-year-old striker who joined the club from Real Madrid for 100 million euros ($117 million) during the summer. 🎙 @OfficialAllegri: "I've known @Cristiano for three months now and for over 15 years of his career he has shown to be a great professional both on and off the pitch. He is ready to return to action tomorrow."#UdineseJuve pic.twitter.com/tOJt6Lq7g6 — JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) October 5, 2018 × "He's dedicated and he's just as dedicated to social issues, which says it all." Juventus travel to Udine in northeastern Italy, on the border with Slovenia, to face Udinese, who are 14th in the table. 🎙 @OfficialAllegri: "Playing away at Udinese is always a battle and we'll need to approach the match with focus and determination. On a technical level, it may not be the easiest on the eye."#UdineseJuve — JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) October 5, 2018 × Ronaldo was filmed preparing for the game on Thursday, with several Juventus players later posting a photo of a team dinner in a Turin restaurant, with a smiling Ronaldo seated between Blaise Matuidi and Federico Bernardeschi. "It is normal that we help him during a delicate time, but he has broad enough shoulders to focus on tomorrow's game, go down onto the pitch and play well," said Allegri. Amid the storm of sponsors' concerns, and the team's share price taking a hit, Juventus are trying to focus on their quest for an eighth straight league title. They have a maximum 21 points from seven games, six points ahead of Carlo Ancelotti's Napoli, who they beat 3-1 in Turin last weekend with Ronaldo setting up all three goals. "Tomorrow I could go with a front three of Mario Mandzukic, Paulo Dybala and Cristiano Ronaldo, or alternatively one of them could be rested," said Allegri. The Turin giants have also won both their Champions League games including last Tuesday's match against Swiss side Young Boys, with Ronaldo watching from the stands as he was suspended for a red card against Valencia. "Tomorrow is a match that will ask a lot of the players both physically and mentally, so we must be prepared for that," Allegri said. "(Udinese) have lost the last two matches, so we must not be complacent but make sure that we're on top of our game in order to enter the international break on a high." Behind Juventus the battle for European places is very tight with Napoli, who are six points behind the champions in second. Just three points separate the third to eighth-placed teams. Napoli, Roma and Inter Milan also all won their Champions League games during the week. Napoli bounced back from their defeat in Turin with a last-gasp Lorenzo Insigne goal snatching a 1-0 win over Liverpool. "It's an important victory because it shows our progression, notably on a psychological level," said Ancelotti ahead of Sunday's game at home against Sassuolo, joint third with 13 points. Roma travel to Empoli looking for a third straight league win days after Edin Dzeko's hat-trick inspired a 5-0 win over Czech side Viktoria Plzen. Eusebio Di Francesco's side slumped to ninth after a four-game winless streak, and a win over lowly Empoli would propel them further up the table. Fiorentina, third with 13 points, face a stiff test at Lazio, in seventh. Simone Inzaghi's side were stung by last week's derby defeat to Roma followed by a heavy 4-1 Europa League defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt. Inter Milan, also on 13 points, travel to SPAL with city rivals AC Milan, 11th with a game in hand, hosting tailenders Chievo.

Cristiano Ronaldo ready to play for Juventus at Udinese despite rape claims

Cristiano Ronaldo on Thursday was left out of the Portugal squad for upcoming fixtures against Poland and Scotland.

However, it is still unclear if his omission is related to the rape allegations against him.

The Juventus forward has been making headlines from past many days over an investigation into an alleged rape case from 2009 - which Ronaldo denies.&nbsp;

The Portugal star was rested for the previous international fixtures against Croatia and Italy, and has not featured for his country since the last-16 World Cup defeat to Uruguay.

The 33-year-old will sit out the Nations League match against Poland on October 11 and the friendly against Scotland on October 14.

He also missed Juventus' Champions League win against Young Boys on Tuesday after serving a one-match ban.

Ronaldo won the 2016 European Championships with his country and is both Portugal's most capped player ever and the nation's all-time top goalscorer.

Cristiano Ronaldo on Thursday was left out of the Portugal squad for upcoming fixtures against Poland and Scotland. However, it is still unclear if his omission is related to the rape allegations against him.

Cristiano Ronaldo on Thursday was left out of the Portugal squad for upcoming fixtures against Poland and Scotland. However, it is still unclear if his omission is related to the rape allegations against him. The Juventus forward has been making headlines from past many days over an investigation into an alleged rape case from 2009 - which Ronaldo denies. The Portugal star was rested for the previous international fixtures against Croatia and Italy, and has not featured for his country since the last-16 World Cup defeat to Uruguay. The 33-year-old will sit out the Nations League match against Poland on October 11 and the friendly against Scotland on October 14. He also missed Juventus' Champions League win against Young Boys on Tuesday after serving a one-match ban. Ronaldo won the 2016 European Championships with his country and is both Portugal's most capped player ever and the nation's all-time top goalscorer.

Cristiano Ronaldo left out of Portugal squad

Lawyers for Cristiano Ronaldo said on Friday (September 28) they would sue German magazine Der Spiegel after it published "blatantly illegal" accusations by an American woman who alleges she was raped by the Portuguese soccer star in 2009.

Ronaldo's lawyer Christian Schertz said in a statement the report was "an inadmissible reporting of suspicions in the area of privacy", and that he would seek legal redress for his client from the magazine.

The statement was sent to Reuters by Ronaldo's agent Gestifute in response to a request for comment on the Der Spiegel story. Gestifute did not answer any specific questions about the content of the Der Spiegel report, which Reuters was unable to independently verify.

Ronaldo is one of the biggest names in world sport. He has been named the player of the year five times and transferred to Juventus from Real Madrid this summer for 100 million euros.

The Italian club declined to comment on the Der Spiegel report.

The magazine said the rape allegedly took place in June 2009 in a hotel room in Las Vegas, according to Leslie Mark Stovall, the lawyer for the alleged victim, Kathryn Mayorga.

Ronaldo and Mayorga then reached an out-of-court agreement, according to Stovall as reported in the magazine.

It said, according to Stovall, that she had pledged never to speak of the accusation again and Ronaldo paid her $375,000.

"Kathryn was sexually assaulted in June 2009 by an individual named Cristiano Ronaldo," Mayorga's lawyer, Leslie Mark Stovall, said in a video published online by Der Spiegel.

Reuters was not able to independently verify Mayorga's allegations.

Stovall did not immediately respond to email requests from Reuters for comment on the report and Mayorga was not available for comment in telephone calls to her home.

Her lawyer told Der Spiegel, however, that he had filed a civil complaint seeking to declare the non-disclosure agreement void.

"The purpose of this lawsuit is to hold Cristiano Ronaldo responsible within a civil court of law for the injuries he has caused Kathryn Mayorga and the consequences of those injuries," Stovall told Der Spiegel.

Schertz said he would seek compensation from Der Spiegel for "moral damages in an amount corresponding to the gravity of the infringement, which is probably one of the most serious violations of personal rights in recent years."

The magazine's Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Alfred Weinzierl, told Reuters that Der Spiegel had repeatedly written to Ronaldo's management and lawyers about the allegations before publishing its report.

"We sent written questions, to which there were no answers. Nobody sued us in connection with earlier Ronaldo reports," he said in an email.

Mayorga told Der Spiegel she no longer felt bound by the non-disclosure agreement as she suffers from the consequences of the night nine years ago.

"I've had like these serious breakdowns," she told the magazine. "And again, blaming of the rape. And I blame him, and I blame myself for signing that thing."

Lawyers for Cristiano Ronaldo said on Friday (September 28) they would sue German magazine Der Spiegel after it published "blatantly illegal" accusations by an American woman who alleges she was raped by the Portuguese soccer star in 2009.

Lawyers for Cristiano Ronaldo said on Friday (September 28) they would sue German magazine Der Spiegel after it published "blatantly illegal" accusations by an American woman who alleges she was raped by the Portuguese soccer star in 2009. Ronaldo's lawyer Christian Schertz said in a statement the report was "an inadmissible reporting of suspicions in the area of privacy", and that he would seek legal redress for his client from the magazine. The statement was sent to Reuters by Ronaldo's agent Gestifute in response to a request for comment on the Der Spiegel story. Gestifute did not answer any specific questions about the content of the Der Spiegel report, which Reuters was unable to independently verify. Ronaldo is one of the biggest names in world sport. He has been named the player of the year five times and transferred to Juventus from Real Madrid this summer for 100 million euros. The Italian club declined to comment on the Der Spiegel report. The magazine said the rape allegedly took place in June 2009 in a hotel room in Las Vegas, according to Leslie Mark Stovall, the lawyer for the alleged victim, Kathryn Mayorga. Ronaldo and Mayorga then reached an out-of-court agreement, according to Stovall as reported in the magazine. It said, according to Stovall, that she had pledged never to speak of the accusation again and Ronaldo paid her $375,000. "Kathryn was sexually assaulted in June 2009 by an individual named Cristiano Ronaldo," Mayorga's lawyer, Leslie Mark Stovall, said in a video published online by Der Spiegel. Reuters was not able to independently verify Mayorga's allegations. Stovall did not immediately respond to email requests from Reuters for comment on the report and Mayorga was not available for comment in telephone calls to her home. Her lawyer told Der Spiegel, however, that he had filed a civil complaint seeking to declare the non-disclosure agreement void. "The purpose of this lawsuit is to hold Cristiano Ronaldo responsible within a civil court of law for the injuries he has caused Kathryn Mayorga and the consequences of those injuries," Stovall told Der Spiegel. Schertz said he would seek compensation from Der Spiegel for "moral damages in an amount corresponding to the gravity of the infringement, which is probably one of the most serious violations of personal rights in recent years." The magazine's Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Alfred Weinzierl, told Reuters that Der Spiegel had repeatedly written to Ronaldo's management and lawyers about the allegations before publishing its report. "We sent written questions, to which there were no answers. Nobody sued us in connection with earlier Ronaldo reports," he said in an email. Mayorga told Der Spiegel she no longer felt bound by the non-disclosure agreement as she suffers from the consequences of the night nine years ago. "I've had like these serious breakdowns," she told the magazine. "And again, blaming of the rape. And I blame him, and I blame myself for signing that thing."

Ronaldo lawyers to sue Der Spiegel over 'illegal' report

European soccer's governing body UEFA confirmed that Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo will be available to play his former club Manchester United. He is suspended for only one game after his dismissal in his Champions League.

UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) decided that the 33-year-old will only be unavailable for next week's Group H clash at Swiss side Young Boys.

"The CEDB has decided to suspend the Juventus Football Club player Cristiano Ronaldo for one UEFA competition match for which he would be otherwise eligible," UEFA said.

Ronaldo's Champions League debut for Juventus against Valencia last week lasted only 29 minutes before he was shown a straight red card for clashing with Jeison Murillo in a 2-0 win. He faced the prospect of missing a return to Old Trafford if his ban was extended.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-cristiano-ronaldo-given-red-card-leaves-pitch-in-tears-166845">Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-cristiano-ronaldo-given-red-card-leaves-pitch-in-tears-166845">given</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-cristiano-ronaldo-given-red-card-leaves-pitch-in-tears-166845"> red card, leaves </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-cristiano-ronaldo-given-red-card-leaves-pitch-in-tears-166845">pitch</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-cristiano-ronaldo-given-red-card-leaves-pitch-in-tears-166845"> in tears</a>

However, Manchester United's home will welcome their former star Cristiano Ronaldo one more time as Man Utd and Juventus were drawn together in the same group for this season's UCL.

He has spent six years at United, winning the Champions League in 2008 after that he moved to Real Madrid in 2009.

Italian giants Juventus travel to Manchester for their third group fixture on October 23 when CR7 will also come up against his compatriot Jose Mourinho, under whom he played during his time at Real.

Ronaldo has scored 84 goals in 196 appearances for Manchester United in his 6-year stay.

European soccer's governing body UEFA confirmed that Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo will be available to play his former club Manchester United. He is suspended for only one game after his dismissal in his Champions League.

European soccer's governing body UEFA confirmed that Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo will be available to play his former club Manchester United. He is suspended for only one game after his dismissal in his Champions League. UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) decided that the 33-year-old will only be unavailable for next week's Group H clash at Swiss side Young Boys. "The CEDB has decided to suspend the Juventus Football Club player Cristiano Ronaldo for one UEFA competition match for which he would be otherwise eligible," UEFA said. Ronaldo's Champions League debut for Juventus against Valencia last week lasted only 29 minutes before he was shown a straight red card for clashing with Jeison Murillo in a 2-0 win. He faced the prospect of missing a return to Old Trafford if his ban was extended. Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo given red card, leaves pitch in tears However, Manchester United's home will welcome their former star Cristiano Ronaldo one more time as Man Utd and Juventus were drawn together in the same group for this season's UCL. He has spent six years at United, winning the Champions League in 2008 after that he moved to Real Madrid in 2009. Italian giants Juventus travel to Manchester for their third group fixture on October 23 when CR7 will also come up against his compatriot Jose Mourinho, under whom he played during his time at Real. Ronaldo has scored 84 goals in 196 appearances for Manchester United in his 6-year stay.

Cristiano Ronaldo cleared to face United in Champions League

The 2018 FIFA The Best Awards event saw worthy footballers being rewarded for their efforts in the year under review, in London.&nbsp;

The biggest winner on the night was Luka Modric, who was voted 'Player of the Year' after beating off competition from Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah.

The Real Madrid star deserved the award, having played a key role in Los Blancos’ run to Champions League glory, as well as Croatia’s surge to the final of the World Cup.

However, one other thing that has got the world talking is the fact that Lionel Messi voted for rival Cristiano Ronaldo in his three-man list for the FIFA Best Player award.

After the votes of each player were made public by FIFA, Twitter went berserk with some praising Messi for his genuine vote while some labelling his decision a stunt to stay in news.&nbsp;

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When Lionel Messi voted for Cristiano Ronaldo but Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't voted for him. 
Messi :<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAFootballAwards?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAFootballAwards</a> <a href="https://t.co/f5Xk3BOCSA">pic.twitter.com/f5Xk3BOCSA</a>
— Abiodun Ajide (@AbiodunLV) <a href="https://twitter.com/AbiodunLV/status/1044353228857470976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Messi fans trying to bring out character because Messi voted for Ronaldo and Ronaldo didn’t vote for Messi. It’s really not our fault Messi and Ronaldo both know the facts.
— KB9 (@IconicCristiano) <a href="https://twitter.com/IconicCristiano/status/1044335613196062720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The reason Messi's Votes stands out to people is that he put his Differences with Ronaldo aside and Voted for him. 
 
Now that shows how much respect and Love Messi has for the game. You can't love soccer and hate /dislike Messi
— Blvck_Divergent (@SkylaGrey1) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkylaGrey1/status/1044518017651142656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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For the first time in my life I must admit my admiration for Lionel Messi in the FIFA Awards. 
 
Messi wasn't part of the Top Three Nominees but he voted for Cristiano Ronaldo in the Top Three ranks. 
 
Cristiano... <a href="https://t.co/uAWiwOF6ba">https://t.co/uAWiwOF6ba</a>
— El Akyereko Jefazo😉 (@AkwasiAkyereko) <a href="https://twitter.com/AkwasiAkyereko/status/1044487650307117057?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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They never voted for eachother before and Messi knew Ronaldo wouldn't vote for him so he did it on purpose to make headlines. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/besmart?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#besmart</a>
— TheRonaldoBible (@TheRonaldoBible) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRonaldoBible/status/1044342496002805760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Argentina star voted Modric first, picked Kylian Mbappe second and put Ronaldo third on his list, to the surprise of many.&nbsp;

Ronaldo, however, did not vote for Messi in his top three candidates for the award. The Portuguese opted for Raphael Verane, Modric and Antoine Griezmann in that order.&nbsp;

The 2018 FIFA The Best Awards event saw worthy footballers being rewarded for their efforts in the year under review, in London. The biggest winner on the night was Luka Modric, who was voted 'Player of the Year' after beating off competition from Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah.

The 2018 FIFA The Best Awards event saw worthy footballers being rewarded for their efforts in the year under review, in London. The biggest winner on the night was Luka Modric, who was voted 'Player of the Year' after beating off competition from Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah. The Real Madrid star deserved the award, having played a key role in Los Blancos’ run to Champions League glory, as well as Croatia’s surge to the final of the World Cup. However, one other thing that has got the world talking is the fact that Lionel Messi voted for rival Cristiano Ronaldo in his three-man list for the FIFA Best Player award. After the votes of each player were made public by FIFA, Twitter went berserk with some praising Messi for his genuine vote while some labelling his decision a stunt to stay in news. When Lionel Messi voted for Cristiano Ronaldo but Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't voted for him. Messi :#FIFAFootballAwards pic.twitter.com/f5Xk3BOCSA — Abiodun Ajide (@AbiodunLV) September 24, 2018 × Messi fans trying to bring out character because Messi voted for Ronaldo and Ronaldo didn’t vote for Messi. It’s really not our fault Messi and Ronaldo both know the facts. — KB9 (@IconicCristiano) September 24, 2018 × The reason Messi's Votes stands out to people is that he put his Differences with Ronaldo aside and Voted for him. Now that shows how much respect and Love Messi has for the game. You can't love soccer and hate /dislike Messi — Blvck_Divergent (@SkylaGrey1) September 25, 2018 × For the first time in my life I must admit my admiration for Lionel Messi in the FIFA Awards. Messi wasn't part of the Top Three Nominees but he voted for Cristiano Ronaldo in the Top Three ranks. Cristiano... https://t.co/uAWiwOF6ba — El Akyereko Jefazo😉 (@AkwasiAkyereko) September 25, 2018 × They never voted for eachother before and Messi knew Ronaldo wouldn't vote for him so he did it on purpose to make headlines. #besmart — TheRonaldoBible (@TheRonaldoBible) September 24, 2018 × The Argentina star voted Modric first, picked Kylian Mbappe second and put Ronaldo third on his list, to the surprise of many. Ronaldo, however, did not vote for Messi in his top three candidates for the award. The Portuguese opted for Raphael Verane, Modric and Antoine Griezmann in that order.

Lionel Messi voted for Ronaldo at FIFA Best Awards, Twitter goes berserk

Well, that's all from the first match of FIFA World Cup.

Thanks for joining us!

<hr />
Final Whistle

Russia have won the first match of the 21st edition of FIFA World Cup 2018 by defeating Saudi Arabia 3-0 at Luznicki stadium, Moscow on Thursday. Mid-fielder Yury Gazinsky scored the first goal of the tournament in the first half of the tournament. The lead was further extended by Denis Cheryshev. He came as a substituted in the 43rd minute of the game scored the goal to gave a 2-0 advantage, he then struck against and became the second&nbsp;player after Oleg Salenko, in the history of World Cup to score more than once for Russia.

One goal after another

GOAL

RUSSIA 5-0 SAUDI ARABIA

A foul helped Russia in the injury time to seal the victory with a score of 5-0.

After a beautiful assit Golovin culred a fine strike from the free-kick. Golovin lifted the ball and the landed inside the post after confusing the goalkeeper.

<hr />
Super goal!!!&nbsp;Denis Cheryshev strikes again

The host Russia have&nbsp;started the tournament on a high note. What else one wants in the first match of the World Cup campaign.

GOAL

RUSSIA 4-0 SAUDI ARABIA

Amazing goal by&nbsp;Denis Cheryshev in the extra time. The way Russians have played tonight, it shows that they are aiming for the golden trophy.

<hr />
10:10 PM IST

There isn't much time left for Saudi Arabia team. They need to work on the&nbsp;passing accuracy as they have suffered a lot of bloopers in the match and a fragile defence is also a reason for their 0-3 deficit.

<hr />
10:05 PM IST

Artem Dzyuba enters in style

GOAL

RUSSIA 3-0 SAUDI ARABIA

Striker Artem Dzyuba scored the third goal for Russia has sealed the victory.

A mesmerizing showcase of team effort when&nbsp;Golovin promoted the goal from the right side and Dzyuba, making no mistakes, stunned the Saudi goalkeeper to net the ball.

<hr />
10:00 PM IST

Change for Russia

IN: Artem Dzyuba

OUT: Fyodor Smolov

<hr />
09:55 PM IST

64th minute

Another substitution for Russia

IN: Daler Kuzyayev

OUT: Aleksandr Samedov

Change for Saudi Arabia

IN: Fahad Al-Muwallad

OUT: Abdullah Otayf

<hr />
Prediction is here, but we are not&nbsp;Cat Achilles

WION users have given their verdict for the first match of FIFA World Cup 2018.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FifaWorldCup2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FifaWorldCup2018</a> Kick-off tomorrow! Who are you supporting?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RUSvsKSA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RUSvsKSA</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1006882008541229056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<hr />
HALF-TIME

Russia have taken the advantage by scoring&nbsp;two goals in the first half of the opener match. The first half was entirely dominated by Russians as mid-fielder Yury Gazinsky and&nbsp;Denis Cheryshev scored to give a 2-0 lead. Gazinsky became the first player to score and Denis Cheryshev became the first substitute to score a goal in the 21st edition of football world cup. The second half will be crucial for the Saudi Arabia team.

Stay tuned for the further updates.

<hr />
09:13 PM IST

GOAL

RUSSIA 2-0 SAUDI ARABIA

Russia have extended the lead further by scoring the second goal in the concluding minutes of the first half.

Denis Cheryshev who was substituted in the 43rd minute of the game scored the goal to gave a 2-0 advantage to the team. 

<hr />
08:42 PM IST

GOAL

RUSSIA 1-0 SAUDI ARABIA

Russia took&nbsp;the advantage by scoring a goal in the initial minutes of the tournament.

Mid-fielder Yury Gazinsky scored the first goal of the tournament.

<hr />
08:35 PM IST

Both the teams are ready to lock horns in the first match of the tournament.

<hr />
08:30 PM IST

Confirmed squad:

Russia (4-2-3-1)

Igor Akinfeev (capt); Mario Fernandes, Ilya Kupetov, Sergey Ignashevich, Yury Zhirkov; Yury Gazinsky, Roman Zobnin; Alan Dzagoev, Aleksandr Golovin, Alexander Samedov; Fedor Smolov

Saudi Arabia (4-5-1)

Abdullah Al-Muaiouf; Osama Hawsawi (capt), Omar Hawsawi, Mohammed Al-Burayk, Yasser Al-Shahrani; Salman Al-Faraj, Yahia Al-Shehri, Abdullah Otayf, Taiseer Al-Jassam, Salem Al-Dawsari; Mohammed Al-Sahlawi

<hr />
Match 1: Russia vs Saudi Arabia 

<hr />
<hr />
That's it from the opening ceremony you stay tuned to get the quick updates of the first match which is between Russia and Saudi Arabia.

08:25 PM IST

FIFA president Gianni Infantino welcomed the fans.

<hr />
08:20 PM IST

Putin says, "Wellcome to Russia"

After a pulsating performance by legend Robbie Williams, it's Russia's President&nbsp;Vladimir Putin shared his words ahead of the biggest sporting tournament.

<hr />
08:10 PM IST

"I sit and wait 
Does an angel contemplate my fate 
And do they know 
The places where we go 
When we're grey and old 
'Cause I have been told 
That salvation lets their wings unfold 
So when I'm lying in my bed 
Thoughts running through my head 
And I feel the love is dead 
I'm loving angels instead"

The beautiful lyrics of "Angels" song which is sung by English singer Robbie Williams is echoing in the stadium. He sang another very popular song "Rock DJ"

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Robbie Williams performs during the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldCup</a> opening ceremony <a href="https://t.co/Kw5MZ85aw3">pic.twitter.com/Kw5MZ85aw3</a>
— Elliot Wagland (@elliotwagland) <a href="https://twitter.com/elliotwagland/status/1007271678689374208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Worldcuprussia2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Worldcuprussia2018</a> opening ceremony is on with Robbie Williams <a href="https://t.co/c9AeBkJao8">pic.twitter.com/c9AeBkJao8</a>
— GossipBoyz.com (@GossipBoyz) <a href="https://twitter.com/GossipBoyz/status/1007272601650126849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<hr />
08:00 PM IST

It begins!

Robbie Williams has entered the stadium with mike in his hand. This is historic!!!

<hr />
07:56 PM IST

Amid&nbsp;all the buzz!

Russia's players including defender Fedor Koudryashov (C) warm up prior to the first Group A match.

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<hr />
07:51 PM IST

The trophy is here!

Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas and Russian model Natalia Vodianova stand next to the World Cup trophy during the opening ceremony.

32 nations, one trophy one dream!!!

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<hr />
07:40 PM IST

The opening ceremony is set to start&nbsp;Robbie Williams, Will Smith and Brazilian soccer legend, Ronaldinho will take part.

<hr />
07:35 PM IST

All eyes are on the host country Russia as they will play their first match on day one of the tournament&nbsp;against Saudi Arabia.

Watch the preview of Russia vs Saudi Arabia

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<hr />
07:25 PM IST

Watch: The preparations are going on

The opening ceremony will take place at Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow and in the same stadium, the finale will take place on July 15.&nbsp;Luzhniki Stadium is the main stadium for the World Cup 2018. It was originally built to host the first nationwide summer Spartakiad in 1956. It also hosted the 1980 Summer Olympics. It has a capacity of 80,000.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/all-you-need-to-know-about-stadiums-hosting-fifa-world-cup-2018-matches-142851#photo-142845">All you need to know about stadiums hosting FIFA World Cup 2018 matches</a>

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Preperations for the opening ceremony starting. <a href="https://t.co/JbLDjMR4lw">pic.twitter.com/JbLDjMR4lw</a>
— Mootaz Chehade (@MHChehade) <a href="https://twitter.com/MHChehade/status/1007257320580177920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2018</a></blockquote>
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In position for the opening ceremony of the <a href="https://twitter.com/FIFAWorldCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FIFAWorldCup</a> and Russia v Saudi Arabia on <a href="https://twitter.com/5liveSport?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@5liveSport</a> with <a href="https://twitter.com/markchapman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@markchapman</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/jjenas8?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jjenas8</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Russia2018WorldCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Russia2018WorldCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/RWfDO0BauE">pic.twitter.com/RWfDO0BauE</a>
— Alan Shearer (@alanshearer) <a href="https://twitter.com/alanshearer/status/1007256809130942464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<hr />
07:08 PM IST

Who will perform tonight?

It is confirmed that Robbie Williams will be performing tonight at the opening ceremony. Also, Will Smith alongside artists Nicky Jam and Era Istrefi have released anthem song for the 21st edition of football world cup.&nbsp;

So it is expected that American singer, Will Smith will perform today. One more song was released, the song "Colours" which is written by an American singer-songwriter Jason Derulo and the song is serving the purpose of anthem for FIFA WC 2018.

Let's wait and watch who all will perform!

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Very excited to be returning to Russia to perform at the opening of the <a href="https://twitter.com/FIFAWorldCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FIFAWorldCup</a> - tune in early on Thursday for an unforgettable show! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/skwCwt21SM">pic.twitter.com/skwCwt21SM</a>
— Robbie Williams (@robbiewilliams) <a href="https://twitter.com/robbiewilliams/status/1006053779370921984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<hr />
06:50 PM&nbsp;IST

The fans have started gathering around the&nbsp;Luzhniki Stadium ahead of the opening ceremony.

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? | استمرار توافد الجماهير.. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%83_%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%B6%D8%B1?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#معاك_يالأخضر</a> ???<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldCup2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldCup2018</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Green_falcons?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Green_falcons</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RUSKSA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RUSKSA</a> <a href="https://t.co/B3bjNgGp9N">pic.twitter.com/B3bjNgGp9N</a>
— المنتخب السعودي (@SaudiNT) <a href="https://twitter.com/SaudiNT/status/1007247172218302465?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<hr />
06:30 PM&nbsp;IST 

The wait is finally over!

It's June 14 and the four-year wait is finally over. The 21st edition of FIFA World Cup has started. The event will begin with a glitzy opening ceremony followed by the first match of the tournament which is between the host Russia and Saudi Arabia at Luzhniki Stadium. Thirty-two countries from different confederations have qualified for the tournament and will go for the kill to clinch the most decorated trophy in the sporting world, the golden hand-and-ball. The event has attracted tourists from all over the world to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars playing the world cup match.

All eyes are on the host country Russia as they will play the first match on day one of the tournament. Amidst several controversies and adversities, the most awaited tournament is finally underway.

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Hello! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Zabivaka?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Zabivaka</a> <a href="https://t.co/mBR7GtMbXD">pic.twitter.com/mBR7GtMbXD</a>
— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIFAWorldCup/status/1006131965051985920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Know the mascot

This year's official mascot is a wolf named Zabivaka which means "the one who scores" in Russian. Zabivaka is charming, confident and social and has always dreamt of becoming a football star.

32 nations 1 dream

Five-time winners Brazil are there, as are defending champions Germany, plus Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, England, France, Iceland, Iran, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia and Uruguay set to claim the title of world champions.

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Yury Gazinsky and Denis Cheryshev scored to give a 2-0 lead to Russia against Saudi Arabia in the opener match of football World Cup 2018

Well, that's all from the first match of FIFA World Cup. Thanks for joining us! Final Whistle Russia have won the first match of the 21st edition of FIFA World Cup 2018 by defeating Saudi Arabia 3-0 at Luznicki stadium, Moscow on Thursday. Mid-fielder Yury Gazinsky scored the first goal of the tournament in the first half of the tournament. The lead was further extended by Denis Cheryshev. He came as a substituted in the 43rd minute of the game scored the goal to gave a 2-0 advantage, he then struck against and became the second player after Oleg Salenko, in the history of World Cup to score more than once for Russia. One goal after another GOAL RUSSIA 5-0 SAUDI ARABIA A foul helped Russia in the injury time to seal the victory with a score of 5-0. After a beautiful assit Golovin culred a fine strike from the free-kick. Golovin lifted the ball and the landed inside the post after confusing the goalkeeper. Super goal!!! Denis Cheryshev strikes again The host Russia have started the tournament on a high note. What else one wants in the first match of the World Cup campaign. GOAL RUSSIA 4-0 SAUDI ARABIA Amazing goal by Denis Cheryshev in the extra time. The way Russians have played tonight, it shows that they are aiming for the golden trophy. 10:10 PM IST There isn't much time left for Saudi Arabia team. They need to work on the passing accuracy as they have suffered a lot of bloopers in the match and a fragile defence is also a reason for their 0-3 deficit. 10:05 PM IST Artem Dzyuba enters in style GOAL RUSSIA 3-0 SAUDI ARABIA Striker Artem Dzyuba scored the third goal for Russia has sealed the victory. A mesmerizing showcase of team effort when Golovin promoted the goal from the right side and Dzyuba, making no mistakes, stunned the Saudi goalkeeper to net the ball. 10:00 PM IST Change for Russia IN: Artem Dzyuba OUT: Fyodor Smolov 09:55 PM IST 64th minute Another substitution for Russia IN: Daler Kuzyayev OUT: Aleksandr Samedov Change for Saudi Arabia IN: Fahad Al-Muwallad OUT: Abdullah Otayf Prediction is here, but we are not Cat Achilles WION users have given their verdict for the first match of FIFA World Cup 2018. #FifaWorldCup2018 Kick-off tomorrow! Who are you supporting?#RUSvsKSA — WION (@WIONews) June 13, 2018 × HALF-TIME Russia have taken the advantage by scoring two goals in the first half of the opener match. The first half was entirely dominated by Russians as mid-fielder Yury Gazinsky and Denis Cheryshev scored to give a 2-0 lead. Gazinsky became the first player to score and Denis Cheryshev became the first substitute to score a goal in the 21st edition of football world cup. The second half will be crucial for the Saudi Arabia team. Stay tuned for the further updates. 09:13 PM IST GOAL RUSSIA 2-0 SAUDI ARABIA Russia have extended the lead further by scoring the second goal in the concluding minutes of the first half. Denis Cheryshev who was substituted in the 43rd minute of the game scored the goal to gave a 2-0 advantage to the team. 08:42 PM IST GOAL RUSSIA 1-0 SAUDI ARABIA Russia took the advantage by scoring a goal in the initial minutes of the tournament. Mid-fielder Yury Gazinsky scored the first goal of the tournament. 08:35 PM IST Both the teams are ready to lock horns in the first match of the tournament. 08:30 PM IST Confirmed squad: Russia (4-2-3-1) Igor Akinfeev (capt); Mario Fernandes, Ilya Kupetov, Sergey Ignashevich, Yury Zhirkov; Yury Gazinsky, Roman Zobnin; Alan Dzagoev, Aleksandr Golovin, Alexander Samedov; Fedor Smolov Saudi Arabia (4-5-1) Abdullah Al-Muaiouf; Osama Hawsawi (capt), Omar Hawsawi, Mohammed Al-Burayk, Yasser Al-Shahrani; Salman Al-Faraj, Yahia Al-Shehri, Abdullah Otayf, Taiseer Al-Jassam, Salem Al-Dawsari; Mohammed Al-Sahlawi Match 1: Russia vs Saudi Arabia That's it from the opening ceremony you stay tuned to get the quick updates of the first match which is between Russia and Saudi Arabia. 08:25 PM IST FIFA president Gianni Infantino welcomed the fans. 08:20 PM IST Putin says, "Wellcome to Russia" After a pulsating performance by legend Robbie Williams, it's Russia's President Vladimir Putin shared his words ahead of the biggest sporting tournament. 08:10 PM IST "I sit and wait Does an angel contemplate my fate And do they know The places where we go When we're grey and old 'Cause I have been told That salvation lets their wings unfold So when I'm lying in my bed Thoughts running through my head And I feel the love is dead I'm loving angels instead" The beautiful lyrics of "Angels" song which is sung by English singer Robbie Williams is echoing in the stadium. He sang another very popular song "Rock DJ" Robbie Williams performs during the #WorldCup opening ceremony pic.twitter.com/Kw5MZ85aw3 — Elliot Wagland (@elliotwagland) June 14, 2018 × #Worldcuprussia2018 opening ceremony is on with Robbie Williams pic.twitter.com/c9AeBkJao8 — GossipBoyz.com (@GossipBoyz) June 14, 2018 × 08:00 PM IST It begins! Robbie Williams has entered the stadium with mike in his hand. This is historic!!! 07:56 PM IST Amid all the buzz! Russia's players including defender Fedor Koudryashov (C) warm up prior to the first Group A match. 07:51 PM IST The trophy is here! Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas and Russian model Natalia Vodianova stand next to the World Cup trophy during the opening ceremony. 32 nations, one trophy one dream!!! 07:40 PM IST The opening ceremony is set to start Robbie Williams, Will Smith and Brazilian soccer legend, Ronaldinho will take part. 07:35 PM IST All eyes are on the host country Russia as they will play their first match on day one of the tournament against Saudi Arabia. Watch the preview of Russia vs Saudi Arabia × 07:25 PM IST Watch: The preparations are going on The opening ceremony will take place at Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow and in the same stadium, the finale will take place on July 15. Luzhniki Stadium is the main stadium for the World Cup 2018. It was originally built to host the first nationwide summer Spartakiad in 1956. It also hosted the 1980 Summer Olympics. It has a capacity of 80,000. All you need to know about stadiums hosting FIFA World Cup 2018 matches Preperations for the opening ceremony starting. pic.twitter.com/JbLDjMR4lw — Mootaz Chehade (@MHChehade) June 14, 2018 × In position for the opening ceremony of the @FIFAWorldCup and Russia v Saudi Arabia on @5liveSport with @markchapman and @jjenas8 #Russia2018WorldCup pic.twitter.com/RWfDO0BauE — Alan Shearer (@alanshearer) June 14, 2018 × 07:08 PM IST Who will perform tonight? It is confirmed that Robbie Williams will be performing tonight at the opening ceremony. Also, Will Smith alongside artists Nicky Jam and Era Istrefi have released anthem song for the 21st edition of football world cup. So it is expected that American singer, Will Smith will perform today. One more song was released, the song "Colours" which is written by an American singer-songwriter Jason Derulo and the song is serving the purpose of anthem for FIFA WC 2018. Let's wait and watch who all will perform! Very excited to be returning to Russia to perform at the opening of the @FIFAWorldCup - tune in early on Thursday for an unforgettable show! #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/skwCwt21SM — Robbie Williams (@robbiewilliams) June 11, 2018 × 06:50 PM IST The fans have started gathering around the Luzhniki Stadium ahead of the opening ceremony. ? | استمرار توافد الجماهير.. #معاك_يالأخضر ???#WorldCup2018#Green_falcons#RUSKSA pic.twitter.com/B3bjNgGp9N — المنتخب السعودي (@SaudiNT) June 14, 2018 × 06:30 PM IST The wait is finally over! It's June 14 and the four-year wait is finally over. The 21st edition of FIFA World Cup has started. The event will begin with a glitzy opening ceremony followed by the first match of the tournament which is between the host Russia and Saudi Arabia at Luzhniki Stadium. Thirty-two countries from different confederations have qualified for the tournament and will go for the kill to clinch the most decorated trophy in the sporting world, the golden hand-and-ball. The event has attracted tourists from all over the world to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars playing the world cup match. All eyes are on the host country Russia as they will play the first match on day one of the tournament. Amidst several controversies and adversities, the most awaited tournament is finally underway. Hello! #Zabivaka pic.twitter.com/mBR7GtMbXD — FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 11, 2018 × Know the mascot This year's official mascot is a wolf named Zabivaka which means "the one who scores" in Russian. Zabivaka is charming, confident and social and has always dreamt of becoming a football star. 32 nations 1 dream Five-time winners Brazil are there, as are defending champions Germany, plus Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, England, France, Iceland, Iran, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia and Uruguay set to claim the title of world champions.

FIFA World Cup 2018: Russia defeat Saudi Arabia | As it happened

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has backed England to shine at the World Cup due to the depth of experience in the squad.

"They have a good group of young but experienced players," Mourinho told British media.

"All of them play in the most competitive competition in the world, the Premier League, all of them playing for the best teams with experience of playing in the Champions League, which is a high level of football, obviously."

Mourinho said favourites Brazil and Germany had the most balanced squads and he did not expect the World Cup to see a shock winner in Russia.

"They have good squads but good squads don't always make good teams... (but) I don't think the underdogs will make a big surprise," he added. "In the end, the top teams in South America and Europe are the ones that will be fighting for the title."

Mourinho said favourites Brazil and Germany had the most balanced squads and he did not expect the World Cup to see a shock winner in Russia.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has backed England to shine at the World Cup due to the depth of experience in the squad. "They have a good group of young but experienced players," Mourinho told British media. "All of them play in the most competitive competition in the world, the Premier League, all of them playing for the best teams with experience of playing in the Champions League, which is a high level of football, obviously." Mourinho said favourites Brazil and Germany had the most balanced squads and he did not expect the World Cup to see a shock winner in Russia. "They have good squads but good squads don't always make good teams... (but) I don't think the underdogs will make a big surprise," he added. "In the end, the top teams in South America and Europe are the ones that will be fighting for the title."

FIFA World Cup: Jose Mourinho confident England will impress in Russia

Six Saudi female teenagers slated to serve as their country's flag bearers at the World Cup's opening match in Moscow on Thursday will be replaced by Russians after their trip was cancelled due to "logistical circumstances", organisers said.

Named flag bearers as part of a programme run by Coca-Cola, the girls, aged 13 to 17, were supposed to lead the Saudi national team onto the pitch at Moscow's Luzhniki stadium ahead of their match against Russia.

But the organisers said they could no longer make it.

"Due to unforeseen logistical circumstances, the Saudi flag bearers' delegation will unfortunately no longer be able to attend the opening of the 2018 FIFA World Cup," Coca-Cola said in a statement to Reuters.

Omar Bennis, public affairs director at Coca-Cola Middle East, declined to disclose the nature of the logistical issues.

He said it was not related to their gender.

It is "a mix of everything", he said, adding that the company was working with Saudi sports authorities to try to have the girls attend the country's other matches.

"The chances are low, but we're still pushing," he said.

The young Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose public appearances have dwindled recently, will attend the match.

Women in Saudi Arabia were allowed to attend soccer matches for the first time this year, as the deeply conservative Muslim country takes steps to ease some restrictions on them.

Saudi Arabia recently lifted a ban on women driving, although that has been accompanied by a crackdown on dissent.

One of the girls told Reuters that the delegation would not only be missing the first match but the entire World Cup, where Saudi Arabia is playing in Group A with Russia, Egypt and Uruguay. She did not give the reason for the cancellation, referring questions to Saudi sports authorities and Coca-Cola.

The World Cup has received special attention this year in the kingdom as its team will play for the first time since 2006.

Named flag bearers as part of a programme run by Coca-Cola, the girls, aged 13 to 17, were supposed to lead the Saudi national team onto the pitch at Moscow's Luzhniki stadium ahead of their match against Russia

Six Saudi female teenagers slated to serve as their country's flag bearers at the World Cup's opening match in Moscow on Thursday will be replaced by Russians after their trip was cancelled due to "logistical circumstances", organisers said. Named flag bearers as part of a programme run by Coca-Cola, the girls, aged 13 to 17, were supposed to lead the Saudi national team onto the pitch at Moscow's Luzhniki stadium ahead of their match against Russia. But the organisers said they could no longer make it. "Due to unforeseen logistical circumstances, the Saudi flag bearers' delegation will unfortunately no longer be able to attend the opening of the 2018 FIFA World Cup," Coca-Cola said in a statement to Reuters. Omar Bennis, public affairs director at Coca-Cola Middle East, declined to disclose the nature of the logistical issues. He said it was not related to their gender. It is "a mix of everything", he said, adding that the company was working with Saudi sports authorities to try to have the girls attend the country's other matches. "The chances are low, but we're still pushing," he said. The young Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose public appearances have dwindled recently, will attend the match. Women in Saudi Arabia were allowed to attend soccer matches for the first time this year, as the deeply conservative Muslim country takes steps to ease some restrictions on them. Saudi Arabia recently lifted a ban on women driving, although that has been accompanied by a crackdown on dissent. One of the girls told Reuters that the delegation would not only be missing the first match but the entire World Cup, where Saudi Arabia is playing in Group A with Russia, Egypt and Uruguay. She did not give the reason for the cancellation, referring questions to Saudi sports authorities and Coca-Cola. The World Cup has received special attention this year in the kingdom as its team will play for the first time since 2006.

Female Saudi flag bearers to miss World Cup opener vs Russia

Sweden's former striker&nbsp;Zlatan&nbsp;Ibrahimovic said on Thursday that they should simply&nbsp;enjoy&nbsp;themselves at the World Cup because without him in the team there was no expectation.

"I think&nbsp;Sweden, they have less pressure when I'm not there, because when I'm there we're supposed to win everything," the 36-year-old said with customary candour.

"Just&nbsp;enjoy. No pressure, because I'm not there," the larger-than-life character told reporters.

The LA Galaxy forward, who played 116 times for&nbsp;Sweden over 15 years, was in Moscow to promote Visa cardless payment systems.

Sweden are in Group F with world champions Germany, Mexico and South Korea and open their account against the Koreans on Monday in Nizhny Novgorod.

Germany, though, will be the mountain to climb.

"Germany is the Deutsche-machine. You know they will do good, and they always do good," Ibrahimovic said.

"And I always say a good team doesn't have 11 players, they have 22 fantastic players. And with Germany, it's not like you have a star I think the team is the star, and that's why they're so strong."

Ibrahimovic also said he thought Brazil "will do something out of the limits", as they look to rebound from their nightmare 7-1 thrashing by Germany in the 2014 World Cup semi-finals in their own country.

"Just enjoy. No pressure, because I'm not there," the larger-than-life character told reporters

Sweden's former striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic said on Thursday that they should simply enjoy themselves at the World Cup because without him in the team there was no expectation. "I think Sweden, they have less pressure when I'm not there, because when I'm there we're supposed to win everything," the 36-year-old said with customary candour. "Just enjoy. No pressure, because I'm not there," the larger-than-life character told reporters. The LA Galaxy forward, who played 116 times for Sweden over 15 years, was in Moscow to promote Visa cardless payment systems. Sweden are in Group F with world champions Germany, Mexico and South Korea and open their account against the Koreans on Monday in Nizhny Novgorod. Germany, though, will be the mountain to climb. "Germany is the Deutsche-machine. You know they will do good, and they always do good," Ibrahimovic said. "And I always say a good team doesn't have 11 players, they have 22 fantastic players. And with Germany, it's not like you have a star I think the team is the star, and that's why they're so strong." Ibrahimovic also said he thought Brazil "will do something out of the limits", as they look to rebound from their nightmare 7-1 thrashing by Germany in the 2014 World Cup semi-finals in their own country.

FIFA World Cup: Just enjoy yourselves, Zlatan Ibrahimovic tells Swedes

England forward Marcus Rashford has suffered a "slight knock" in the final training session before heading to the World Cup in Russia, manager Gareth Southgate said.

The 20-year old, who scored 13 goals for Manchester United in all competitions last season, will be hopeful of a starting spot in Southgate's team after impressing in the warm-up games, including a long-range goal against Costa Rica.

"Marcus took a slight knock but nothing too serious so we will have a look at that ahead of tomorrow's session which is open for everyone to see," Southgate told British media.

"We have another week of preparation and a lot of competition for places, as you know."

Southgate has not yet decided on the starting lineup ahead of Monday's World Cup opener against Tunisia, saying there are "one or two very close calls" which will be decided once training resumes in Repino.

England will also face Panama and Belgium in Group G.

England will also face Panama and Belgium in Group G

England forward Marcus Rashford has suffered a "slight knock" in the final training session before heading to the World Cup in Russia, manager Gareth Southgate said. The 20-year old, who scored 13 goals for Manchester United in all competitions last season, will be hopeful of a starting spot in Southgate's team after impressing in the warm-up games, including a long-range goal against Costa Rica. "Marcus took a slight knock but nothing too serious so we will have a look at that ahead of tomorrow's session which is open for everyone to see," Southgate told British media. "We have another week of preparation and a lot of competition for places, as you know." Southgate has not yet decided on the starting lineup ahead of Monday's World Cup opener against Tunisia, saying there are "one or two very close calls" which will be decided once training resumes in Repino. England will also face Panama and Belgium in Group G.

England's Marcus Rashford suffers injury scare ahead of World Cup opener

Iran coach Carlos Queiroz has called on Nike to apologise to his team after the US&nbsp;sportswear firm said it could not supply the players with football boots for the World Cup due to sanctions.

"US sanctions mean that, as a US company, Nike cannot supply shoes to players in the Iranian National team at this time," Nike had said in a statement.

Queiroz, whose side face Morocco in their Group B opener on Friday, said it was an unnecessary statement and asked FIFA to help.

"It has been a source of inspiration for us," Queiroz told&nbsp;Sky Sports. "This last comment of Nike was, in my personal view, an unnecessary statement. Everybody is aware about the sanctions.

"They should come out and apologise because this arrogant conduct against 23 boys is absolutely ridiculous and unnecessary."

Queiroz, whose side face Morocco in their Group B opener on Friday, said it was an unnecessary statement and asked FIFA to help

Iran coach Carlos Queiroz has called on Nike to apologise to his team after the US sportswear firm said it could not supply the players with football boots for the World Cup due to sanctions. "US sanctions mean that, as a US company, Nike cannot supply shoes to players in the Iranian National team at this time," Nike had said in a statement. Queiroz, whose side face Morocco in their Group B opener on Friday, said it was an unnecessary statement and asked FIFA to help. "It has been a source of inspiration for us," Queiroz told Sky Sports. "This last comment of Nike was, in my personal view, an unnecessary statement. Everybody is aware about the sanctions. "They should come out and apologise because this arrogant conduct against 23 boys is absolutely ridiculous and unnecessary."

Iran's coach Carlos Queiroz slams Nike over World Cup boots

British pop star Robbie Williams, who will be performing at the World Cup opening ceremony in Moscow on Thursday, said he will not be performing his hit song "Party Like A Russian."

Speaking to Reuters on Tuesday after a rehearsal for the show, Williams said he will be performing "a medley, a smorgasbord of my greatest hits" alongside Russian soprano Aida Garifullina.

"I would love to do 'Party Like A Russian.' Unfortunately, I've been asked not to do 'Party Like A Russian," he said.

Williams immediately added: "Actually, it has nothing to do with not being asked. It's about me doing my biggest hits that are the best known."

In the 2016 track, the Briton sings "it takes a certain kind of man with a certain reputation, to alleviate the cash from a whole entire nation." In the accompanying music video, ballerinas twirl around Williams in a lavish setting.

Pro-Kremlin media outlets were critical, suggesting Williams could be snubbed by Russian event organisers because of the song.

In response, Williams wrote on Twitter at the time that "this song is definitely not about Mr Putin."

"'Party Like A Russian'" was a big hit for me, it was like my biggest hit here in Russia, so I'm really pleased," Williams said.

"I didn't mean any disrespect by it at all. It's more of a Monty Python-esque kind of humour. I'm not mocking anybody. It's just a pop record."

Williams, who has previously performed at private parties organised by wealthy Russian business people, said he loved coming to Russia.

"Because when we grew up, Russia might as well have been on a different planet," he said. "And then peering behind the Iron Curtain as it was, as it is, you get to meet the people, you get to experience the culture and you realise that you know, they are just humans, just like me and you."

Williams said performing at the opening ceremony of the World Cup was an honour.

"Something like this happens, and you pinch yourself," he said. "I'm pinching myself again... And I just don't want to get too overwhelmed because I know how big the stage is."

The performance will take place half an hour before Russia face Saudi Arabia in the tournament's opening match at Moscow's Luzhniki stadium.

"'Party Like A Russian'" was a big hit for me, it was like my biggest hit here in Russia, so I'm really pleased," Williams said

British pop star Robbie Williams, who will be performing at the World Cup opening ceremony in Moscow on Thursday, said he will not be performing his hit song "Party Like A Russian." Speaking to Reuters on Tuesday after a rehearsal for the show, Williams said he will be performing "a medley, a smorgasbord of my greatest hits" alongside Russian soprano Aida Garifullina. "I would love to do 'Party Like A Russian.' Unfortunately, I've been asked not to do 'Party Like A Russian," he said. Williams immediately added: "Actually, it has nothing to do with not being asked. It's about me doing my biggest hits that are the best known." In the 2016 track, the Briton sings "it takes a certain kind of man with a certain reputation, to alleviate the cash from a whole entire nation." In the accompanying music video, ballerinas twirl around Williams in a lavish setting. Pro-Kremlin media outlets were critical, suggesting Williams could be snubbed by Russian event organisers because of the song. In response, Williams wrote on Twitter at the time that "this song is definitely not about Mr Putin." "'Party Like A Russian'" was a big hit for me, it was like my biggest hit here in Russia, so I'm really pleased," Williams said. "I didn't mean any disrespect by it at all. It's more of a Monty Python-esque kind of humour. I'm not mocking anybody. It's just a pop record." Williams, who has previously performed at private parties organised by wealthy Russian business people, said he loved coming to Russia. "Because when we grew up, Russia might as well have been on a different planet," he said. "And then peering behind the Iron Curtain as it was, as it is, you get to meet the people, you get to experience the culture and you realise that you know, they are just humans, just like me and you." Williams said performing at the opening ceremony of the World Cup was an honour. "Something like this happens, and you pinch yourself," he said. "I'm pinching myself again... And I just don't want to get too overwhelmed because I know how big the stage is." The performance will take place half an hour before Russia face Saudi Arabia in the tournament's opening match at Moscow's Luzhniki stadium.

No 'Party Like A Russian' for Robbie Williams at World Cup opening

Two strikes from captain Robert Lewandowski followed by goals from Dawid Kownacki and Jakub Blaszczykowski gave Poland a 4-0 victory over Lithuania in their final pre-World Cup friendly in Warsaw on Tuesday.

Poland took the lead after 19 minutes when Bayern Munich striker Lewandowski, preparing for his first appearance at a World Cup, finished a team move with a precise strike.

The 29-year-old doubled his tally after the half-hour mark from a free kick, following a foul on teammate Arkadiusz Milik. Lewandowski's strike cannoned off the bar and bounced out of the goal but the referee was informed by goal-line technology that the ball had indeed crossed the line.

Poland coach Adam Nawalka gave his talisman a rest at halftime, but the team continued to score in his absence. Sampdoria's Kownacki found the net after being set up by his club teammate Bartosz Bereszynski in the 71st minute.

Blaszczykowski completed the rout ten minutes later when he converted a penalty after the Video Assistant Referee signalled that Lithuania's Algis Jankauskas had handled the ball in the area.

Poland begins their World Cup Group H campaign in Moscow against Senegal on June 19, before facing Colombia and Japan.

Poland coach Adam Nawalka gave his talisman a rest at halftime, but the team continued to score in his absence

Two strikes from captain Robert Lewandowski followed by goals from Dawid Kownacki and Jakub Blaszczykowski gave Poland a 4-0 victory over Lithuania in their final pre-World Cup friendly in Warsaw on Tuesday. Poland took the lead after 19 minutes when Bayern Munich striker Lewandowski, preparing for his first appearance at a World Cup, finished a team move with a precise strike. The 29-year-old doubled his tally after the half-hour mark from a free kick, following a foul on teammate Arkadiusz Milik. Lewandowski's strike cannoned off the bar and bounced out of the goal but the referee was informed by goal-line technology that the ball had indeed crossed the line. Poland coach Adam Nawalka gave his talisman a rest at halftime, but the team continued to score in his absence. Sampdoria's Kownacki found the net after being set up by his club teammate Bartosz Bereszynski in the 71st minute. Blaszczykowski completed the rout ten minutes later when he converted a penalty after the Video Assistant Referee signalled that Lithuania's Algis Jankauskas had handled the ball in the area. Poland begins their World Cup Group H campaign in Moscow against Senegal on June 19, before facing Colombia and Japan.

Lithuania fall 4-1 to Poland in World Cup warm-up

Soccer fans worried about racism or homophobia should travel to Russia for the World Cup, but take precautions because the host country is a "difficult environment", the head of the European anti-racism watchdog FARE said on Tuesday.

The Russian Football Union's anti-discrimination inspector has said the World Cup is a chance for Russia to show how open it is.

Yet continuing cases of racist abuse in stadiums in the run-up to the tournament have put observers on alert.

"I think it is a difficult environment but the World Cup we are sure will pass peacefully, we hope," Piara Powar, the executive director of the FARE anti-discrimination network, told Reuters in an interview in Moscow.

Russia pledged to crack down on racism ahead of the World Cup, which kicks off in Moscow on Thursday with an opening ceremony followed by a match between the hosts and Saudi Arabia.

Incidents at matches, however, have continued.

Russia was fined last month after racist abuse was directed at French players during a friendly in March in St Petersburg, which is one of the World Cup's 11 host cities.

In April, fans with Russian premier league club CSKA Moscow chanted racist abuse at Arsenal's black players several times during a Europa League match, according to a Reuters witness.

UEFA, the governing body for European soccer, said no racist behaviour had been reported to it by match officials at that game.

Powar said Russian football clubs and the Russian Football Union have taken their anti-discrimination work more seriously ahead of the World Cup. He praised work carried out in the last year by Alexei Smertin, the Russian Football Union's anti-discrimination inspector.

"We've seen if not a reality change, then a better understanding and them beginning to meet the challenges that have been laid before them," Powar said.

"The spirit of openness, we hope, will prevail but at the same time: take precautions. Understand that the LGBT community are not accepted in the same way as they are in many Western European countries or in many parts of the global North," he said.

In April, Smertin said the World Cup is an opportunity for Russia to show how open it is.

"This is first of all a possibility to prove how friendly and organised we actually are... We can show how we treat everyone equally because football is - as I said - a unifying instrument."

Powar said he had been disappointed after Egypt and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah was this week photographed with Ramzan Kadyrov, leader of the southern Russian region of Chechnya where the Egyptian national team is based for the World Cup.

Kadyrov and his allies have been accused of widespread human rights abuses, including torturing and abducting homosexual men, allegations Chechen authorities have denied.

By being pictured with Kadyrov, Salah -- whether knowingly or not -- endorsed the Chechen leadership, said Powar.

"I think it will not overshadow the World Cup, but it's something that stands already a couple of days before kickoff as an unsavoury incident," said Powar.

The Russian Football Union's anti-discrimination inspector has said the World Cup is a chance for Russia to show how open it is.

Soccer fans worried about racism or homophobia should travel to Russia for the World Cup, but take precautions because the host country is a "difficult environment", the head of the European anti-racism watchdog FARE said on Tuesday. The Russian Football Union's anti-discrimination inspector has said the World Cup is a chance for Russia to show how open it is. Yet continuing cases of racist abuse in stadiums in the run-up to the tournament have put observers on alert. "I think it is a difficult environment but the World Cup we are sure will pass peacefully, we hope," Piara Powar, the executive director of the FARE anti-discrimination network, told Reuters in an interview in Moscow. Russia pledged to crack down on racism ahead of the World Cup, which kicks off in Moscow on Thursday with an opening ceremony followed by a match between the hosts and Saudi Arabia. Incidents at matches, however, have continued. Russia was fined last month after racist abuse was directed at French players during a friendly in March in St Petersburg, which is one of the World Cup's 11 host cities. In April, fans with Russian premier league club CSKA Moscow chanted racist abuse at Arsenal's black players several times during a Europa League match, according to a Reuters witness. UEFA, the governing body for European soccer, said no racist behaviour had been reported to it by match officials at that game. Powar said Russian football clubs and the Russian Football Union have taken their anti-discrimination work more seriously ahead of the World Cup. He praised work carried out in the last year by Alexei Smertin, the Russian Football Union's anti-discrimination inspector. "We've seen if not a reality change, then a better understanding and them beginning to meet the challenges that have been laid before them," Powar said. "The spirit of openness, we hope, will prevail but at the same time: take precautions. Understand that the LGBT community are not accepted in the same way as they are in many Western European countries or in many parts of the global North," he said. In April, Smertin said the World Cup is an opportunity for Russia to show how open it is. "This is first of all a possibility to prove how friendly and organised we actually are... We can show how we treat everyone equally because football is - as I said - a unifying instrument." Powar said he had been disappointed after Egypt and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah was this week photographed with Ramzan Kadyrov, leader of the southern Russian region of Chechnya where the Egyptian national team is based for the World Cup. Kadyrov and his allies have been accused of widespread human rights abuses, including torturing and abducting homosexual men, allegations Chechen authorities have denied. By being pictured with Kadyrov, Salah -- whether knowingly or not -- endorsed the Chechen leadership, said Powar. "I think it will not overshadow the World Cup, but it's something that stands already a couple of days before kickoff as an unsavoury incident," said Powar.

Visit Russia for World Cup, but be careful, says anti-racism watchdog

Brazil's reputation as a&nbsp;soccer-mad country has been dented by a report which found that only 60 per cent of those interviewed said they were interested in the sport.

The United Arab Emirates came top of a table compiled by global information, data and measurement company Nielsen Sports which ranked 30 countries according to the percentage of the population who described themselves as interested in football.

The UAE, where the figure was 80 per cent, was followed by Thailand (78 per cent) and Chile, Portugal and Turkey (all 75) while five-times world champions Brazil ranked a modest 13th.

The Brazilian figure had dropped from 72 per cent in 2013, the year before the country hosted the World Cup where the national team were humiliated 7-1 in the semi-finals by Germany.

Brazilians can be very fickle about football and attendances at games in the country fluctuate wildly, depending on the form of the teams involved, whether they are at a decisive stage of a competition, the kickoff time of the match and even the weather.

Last season's Brazilian championship had a modest average attendance of 16,418.

The report said that the figure for China increased from 27 per cent in 2013 to 32 per cent in 2017, in India from 30 per cent to 45 per cent and in the U.S. from 28 per cent to 32 per cent.

The United Kingdom, despite boasting the English Premier League, was a modest 17th in the rankings with 51 per cent.

The report also said that Portugal and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo dominated the use of social media by players, well ahead of his rival Lionel Messi.

His 570 million engagements across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in the first five months of this year were well ahead of Neymar, with 294 million, and Messi with 201 million.

The report pointed out that engagements, rather than number of followers, were the key to understanding the value of a social media account, as they showed how many people interacted with the account and gave a better idea of impact and influence.

Social media success was not always linked to success on the pitch, the report added.

"A broader range of factors comes into play, such as the ability to project a likeable personality or enviable lifestyle," it said.

Controversial Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos was fourth with 158 million engagements and Liverpool and Egypt forward Mohamed Salah fifth with 105.3 million.

In terms of social media followers, Ronaldo also led with 322.8 million across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook combined while Neymar had 194.2 million and Messi 181.9 million

The Brazilian figure had dropped from 72 per cent in 2013, the year before the country hosted the World Cup where the national team were humiliated 7-1 in the semi-finals by Germany

Brazil's reputation as a soccer-mad country has been dented by a report which found that only 60 per cent of those interviewed said they were interested in the sport. The United Arab Emirates came top of a table compiled by global information, data and measurement company Nielsen Sports which ranked 30 countries according to the percentage of the population who described themselves as interested in football. The UAE, where the figure was 80 per cent, was followed by Thailand (78 per cent) and Chile, Portugal and Turkey (all 75) while five-times world champions Brazil ranked a modest 13th. The Brazilian figure had dropped from 72 per cent in 2013, the year before the country hosted the World Cup where the national team were humiliated 7-1 in the semi-finals by Germany. Brazilians can be very fickle about football and attendances at games in the country fluctuate wildly, depending on the form of the teams involved, whether they are at a decisive stage of a competition, the kickoff time of the match and even the weather. Last season's Brazilian championship had a modest average attendance of 16,418. The report said that the figure for China increased from 27 per cent in 2013 to 32 per cent in 2017, in India from 30 per cent to 45 per cent and in the U.S. from 28 per cent to 32 per cent. The United Kingdom, despite boasting the English Premier League, was a modest 17th in the rankings with 51 per cent. The report also said that Portugal and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo dominated the use of social media by players, well ahead of his rival Lionel Messi. His 570 million engagements across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in the first five months of this year were well ahead of Neymar, with 294 million, and Messi with 201 million. The report pointed out that engagements, rather than number of followers, were the key to understanding the value of a social media account, as they showed how many people interacted with the account and gave a better idea of impact and influence. Social media success was not always linked to success on the pitch, the report added. "A broader range of factors comes into play, such as the ability to project a likeable personality or enviable lifestyle," it said. Controversial Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos was fourth with 158 million engagements and Liverpool and Egypt forward Mohamed Salah fifth with 105.3 million. In terms of social media followers, Ronaldo also led with 322.8 million across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook combined while Neymar had 194.2 million and Messi 181.9 million

FIFA World Cup: Football craze in Brazil drops to 60 per cent

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