The national team was received in Doha in an atmosphere of great euphoria and many cries of “Cristianooooo”. The captain was much loved by the supporters, many of them wearing the national colors and some wearing Manchester United and Sporting jerseys. “It will be a great World Cup. Sportingly, I hope that Portugal will experience a great World Cup. We will be very happy. Always motivated!”, he said on arrival in Doha, around 7.45 p.m. (time mainland Portugal) Fernando Santos, who on Saturday (at 2.30 pm) will lead the first training at the sports complex Al-Shahania.
A journey of about eight hours made in the utmost comfort on an Airbus A340 and on a day when, at about the same time as the squad’s departure, Manchester United issued a statement saying it was beginning to “take the appropriate steps in response to the recent interview of Cristiano Ronaldo”, assuring the English press that the English club will proceed with the termination of the Portuguese player’s contract.
Apparently indifferent to this whole process, Ronaldo smiled and even signed autographs as he left Cidade do Futebol, where dozens of children were present to say goodbye to the star players, and later, at Humberto Delgado Airport, returned to sign jerseys and even took some photos with fans.
As the delegation prepared to travel to Qatar, Manchester United issued a statement saying that “it has begun to take appropriate steps following the recent interview with Cristiano Ronaldo. We will not be making any further comments until this process is finalised. completed.” club said.
Despite the statement not realizing the steps the Old Trafford emblem intends to follow, the English press immediately highlighted that the English club is preparing to process and terminate the contract with CR7 with a claim for compensation of damages caused damages, claiming breach of contract. of the striker with the criticism in the bombastic interview he gave to journalist Piers Morgan.
According to the newspaper the protector, United has already appointed a team of lawyers to file a lawsuit. you Red Devils they want to terminate CR7’s contract as soon as possible and thus not pay his salaries until the end of July – there is 18.4 million euros at stake. O The protector he also guaranteed that after this position it is certain that Ronaldo will no longer wear the Manchester United shirt, so that he will not appear for the club after the World Cup. Ronaldo’s contract with the club runs until the end of July. The Portuguese player, remember, earns about 575 thousand euros a week.
Manchester United understands that Ronaldo deliberately breached club rules on contractual terms by firing in all directions in the Piers Morgan interview, where he spared no coaches and the club’s owners.
In the interview, he left harsh criticism on coach Erik ten Hag – “he had no respect for me and in the press he keeps saying that he counts on me, that he likes me, but it’s just ‘blah blah blah'” – and from the club’s owners, the Glazer brothers, for the way they’ve run the club – “they’re more into marketing and the money that comes from that, with football the president isn’t very concerned”.
CR7 admitted that it might be best for both parties to part ways. “I don’t know what will happen, but maybe it’s best for the club and for me to start a new chapter,” he said. “People should hear the truth: yes, I felt betrayed [pelo Manchester United] and I felt that some people wanted me here not only this season but also last season,” he stated, adding that “it’s not just the coach”, Erik ten Hag, who doesn’t want him in the team, but also “two or three clubs”, later clarifying that he was referring to the administrators.
A selection of 937 million
The Portuguese national team, whose 26 called-up players are worth 937 million euros according to the transfer market website, will be installed in the Al Samriya Autograph Collection Hotel and will train daily at the Al-Shahania sports complex. The five-star hotel is a luxury resort in the middle of the desert, 30 kilometers from Doha. It has 62 rooms, 26 villas, a spa, a restaurant and many other luxuries.
Portugal is in group H. The debut is scheduled for November 24 against Ghana. On December 28, the national team will meet with Uruguay and will close the group stage against South Korea on December 2, led by Paulo Bento. The 2022 World Cup will start tomorrow (the opening match is at 4 p.m. between hosts Qatar and Ecuador) and the final is scheduled for December 18.
Of the selection crowned European champions in 2016, seven are resistant: Rui Patrício, Pepe, Raphäel Guerreiro, Danilo, William Carvalho, João Mário and Ronaldo. Of the 26 called up, following the debuts of António Silva and Gonçalo Ramos in Thursday’s warm-up against Nigeria, only goalkeeper José Sá has no caps.
Of the 26 selected Portuguese players, the footballer with the highest market value is Rafael Leão (85 million euros), a 23-year-old striker from AC Milan. The top 5 most valuable is complete with Bernardo Silva (80 M), Bruno Fernandes (75 M), Rúben Dias (75 M) and João Cancelo (70 M). Cristiano Ronaldo, captain of the squad, appears in 17th place, valued at 20 million and with enormous ambition.
Before leaving for Doha, Ronaldo promised to “take all the dreams of the world in his luggage! Wherever he is, Portugal, always!”.
Source: DN
