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☆ Real Madrid earns Champions League draw against Manchester City in ‘amazing’ all-time classic encounter
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Stunning goals, frantic action and moments of pure quality; Tuesday’s Champions League quarterfinal between Real Madrid and Manchester City simply had it all. “Amazing and that is exactly what the Champions League is about,” former Liverpool star and CBS pundit Jamie Carracgher said after the game. “We probably are looking at the two best teams in the competition, the history of Real Madrid and Manchester City, the champion at the moment. Exactly 10 minutes after Silva gave City the lead, Madrid had equalized after Eduardo Camavinga’s long-range effort took a wicked deflection off Rúben Dias. In the 66th minute, City superstar Phil Foden produced one of the all-time great Champions League goals.

Persons: Madrid’s Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Jamie Carracgher, Bernardo Silva, Silva, Andriy Lunin, Eduardo Camavinga’s, Rúben Dias, Rodrygo, Vinícius Jr, Stefan Ortega, Pep Guardiola, Phil Foden, Clive Brunskill, “, ” Foden, I’m, Joško Gvardiol, wasn’t, Merengues, Federico Valverde, Carlo Ancelotti Organizations: CNN, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Madrid’s Estadio, Champions League, Liverpool, CBS, City, Silva, Madrid, League, Real, TNT Sports, ” Locations: Madrid’s, Real Madrid, Ukrainian, Madrid, City, ” Madrid

☆ Manchester City vs Liverpool: Erling Haaland breaks a Premier League scoring record
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Aimee Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Ever since he joined Manchester City in June 2022, Erling Haaland has scored goals and broken records and, on Saturday against Liverpool, the striker continued to make his mark on history by scoring his 50th league goal for the reigning Premier League champion. No player in Premier League history has reached half a century of goals quicker – Haaland doing so in 48 games. The previous record holder Andrew Cole, who played for Manchester United and Newcastle Untied, took 65 games to reach the mark. Haaland scored in the 27th minute to give host City a lead it only relinquished in the 80th minute when Trent Alexander-Arnold leveled for Liverpool. “We played really well, excellent performance,” City manager Pep Guardiola told BBC Sport.

Persons: Erling Haaland, Andrew Cole, Haaland, Trent Alexander, Arnold, “, Pep Guardiola, ” Haaland, Allison Becker, Rúben Dias, Manuel Akanji, Alexander, Mohamed Salah, ” Klopp Organizations: CNN, Manchester City, Liverpool, Premier League, Manchester United, Newcastle, ”, BBC Sport, City, Reds, Arsenal, Brentford Locations: ” City

☆ Man City move clear at the top after pulsating 4-4 draw at Chelsea
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Clare Lovell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Manchester City moved a point clear at the top of the Premier League on Sunday after a thrilling 4-4 draw at Chelsea with Erling Haaland scoring twice only for former City man Cole Palmer to level the match from the penalty spot in added time. It was the first time Chelsea had scored against Manchester City since they beat them in the 2021 Champions League final. It was the 21-year-old’s fourth Chelsea penalty in four attempts. "Very strange the first time I have played against City," Palmer told Sky Sports. The result moved City clear of Liverpool with 28 points from 12 games.

Persons: Erling Haaland, Cole Palmer, Marc Cucurella, Robert Sanchez, Thiago Silva, Conor Gallagher, Chelsea, Raheem Sterling, Reece James, Sterling, Chelsea's, Manuel Akanji, Nicolas Jackson, Rodri's, Ruben Dias, Armando Broja’s, Palmer, Rodri, Clare Lovell, Toby Davis Organizations: Manchester City, Premier League, Chelsea, City, League, Former City, 13th Premier League, Manchester City’s, Sky Sports, Sky, Thomson Locations: Manchester, Spanish, Stamford, Liverpool

☆ Man City held by Chelsea in eight-goal thriller, Liverpool go second
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Lori Ewing | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Aston Villa beat Fulham 3-1 to match a 40-year-old club record of 13 straight home league wins. City opened the scored when Spanish defender Marc Cucurella pulled Haaland's shirt to concede a VAR-checked penalty which the Norwegian coolly converted in the 24th minute. Things were far more sedate at Anfield where Liverpool moved right into title contention thanks to another contribution from the talismanic Salah. "Crazy," Klopp said of the 31-year-old Salah, who has 10 goals in 12 league games this season. Victory lifted the Hammers to ninth in the table with 17 points from 12 games while Forest are 15th with 13 points.

Persons: Chelsea's Palmer, Salah, Chelsea slugged, Cole Palmer, Chelsea, Tottenham, Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah, West Ham, Tomas Soucek, Mauricio Pochettino's, Marc Cucurella, Thiago Silva, Raheem Sterling, Manuel Akanji, Nicolas Jackson, City, Armando Broja, Ruben Dias, Palmer, City's Rodri, Klopp, John McGinn, Ollie Watkins, Antonee Robinson, Unai Emery, Emery, Ham's Soucek, James Ward, Mahmoud Dahoud, Simon Adingra, Ben Osborn's, Adam Webster, Lori Ewing, Martyn Herman, Toby Davis Organizations: Liverpool, Brentford Villa, Fulham LIVERPOOL, Premier League, Manchester City, Chelsea, Stamford, City, Tottenham Hotspur, Brentford, Arsenal, Burnley, Aston Villa, Fulham, West, Nottingham Forest, Brighton & Hove, Sheffield United, Tottenham, Anfield, Hammers, Forest, Brighton & Hove Albion, Brighton, Thomson Locations: England, Brighton, City, Spanish

☆ Erling Haaland gets on back on track in the Champions League as Manchester City defeats BSC Young Boys 3-1
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Samuel Joseph | Sam Joseph | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Powered by a brace from Erling Haaland, Manchester City made it three UEFA Champions League wins out of three as they defeated Swiss side BSC Young Boys 3-1 on Wednesday in Bern. Despite facing mounting pressure, Young Boys managed to frustrate City throughout the first half and the two sides headed into the break goalless. City did extend its lead later when its talisman sealed the game with just five minutes left in regulation time. Haaland curled a right-footed strike past Racioppi to score his 33rd Champions League goal in 37 appearances. “The environment we are in Young Boys are used to.

Persons: Erling Haaland, Anthony Racioppi –, City, Filip Ugrinic, Ederson, Matheus Nunes, Haaland, Doku, Racioppi, Rúben Dias, Manuel Akanji, Zac Goodwin, City’s, Meschak Elia, Rodri, Mohamed Ali Camara, Julián, cooly, Jack, Haaland tucks, Stefan Wermuth, Pep Guardiola, ”, positionally, Rico Lewis, “, ’ Organizations: CNN, Manchester City, UEFA Champions League, Swiss, BSC Young Boys, Young Boys, Champions League, Reuters City, TNT Sports, ”, Young Locations: Manchester, Bern, City, European

☆ Haaland brace lifts Man City to 3-1 win over Young Boys
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Lori Ewing | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

City can clinch their spot in the knockout stage when they play Young Boys again, this time at home, on Nov. 7. Haaland scored for the first time in six Champions League games with a penalty in the 67th minute after Mohamed Camara's tackle on Rodri in the box. Haaland, who rewrote several scoring records last season, added another one on Wednesday, breaking Kylian Mbappe's mark as the youngest player to score 37 Champions League goals. But Young Boys caught City keeper Ederson in no man's land to level four minutes later, sending in Meschack Elia with a superb pass which he scooped high over Ederson into the net. Young Boys are third in the group on one point after three matches.

Persons: Erling Haaland, Manuel Akanji, Pep, Guardiola, I'm, Haaland, Mohamed Camara's, Akanji, Ruben Dias's, Anthony Racioppi, Meschack Elia, Jack Grealish's, Racioppi, Matheus Nunes, Loris Benito, Rico Lewis, City's Julian Alvarez, Grealish, Lori Ewing, Clare Fallon Organizations: Manchester City, Champions League, Swiss, Young Boys, Wednesday, TNT Sports, League, Boys, Ederson, Thomson Locations: Norwegian, Swiss

☆ Champions City shocked by Wolves, Manchester United lose again
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Peter Hall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

MANCHESTER, England, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Champions Manchester City slipped to a shock first Premier League defeat of the season at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, while Manchester United's campaign of woe continued with a loss to Crystal Palace. United slumped to their fourth loss of the Premier League season as an early Joachim Andersen strike gave Palace a 1-0 win at Old Trafford. With nine points and a minus four goal difference, this is 10th-placed Manchester United's worst-ever start to a Premier League season after seven games. CITY COME UNSTUCKUnited's rivals City had been having no such bad luck this term and made the trip to Wolverhampton having won all six of their opening league games. Newcastle United also continued their winning streak with a 2-0 victory over Burnley, while West Ham United beat Sheffield United 2-0 at London Stadium.

Persons: Joachim Andersen, Andersen, Sam Johnstone, Erik ten Hag, Ruben Dias, Pedro Neto's, Julian Alvarez, Jose Sa, Hwang Hee, Cunha, Pep Guardiola, Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Ben White, Mikel Arteta's Arsenal, Andoni Iraola's, Thomas Kaminski, Luton's, Villa, Ollie Watkins, Peter Hall, Clare Fallon Organizations: Manchester City, Premier League, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Crystal, Arsenal, Bournemouth, Luton Town, Everton, Old, Brighton & Hove Albion, Manchester, CITY, City, Wolverhampton, Wolves, Newcastle United, League, London, Luton, Aston Villa, City . Newcastle United, Burnley, West Ham United, Sheffield United, Tottenham, Liverpool, Thomson Locations: MANCHESTER, England, Manchester, Old Trafford, Saturday's

☆ 'The Korean guy' gets Guardiola's attention
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The South Korean international winger scored the second-half winner in a shock 2-1 victory that ended champions City's perfect start to the season. "Always we struggle at Wolves and when you see the quality individually that they have, especially up front with (Pedro) Neto, with (Matheus) Cunha, with the Korean guy, they are really, really good," Guardiola had told reporters in his Friday press conference. The omission of Hwang's name was noted, and Wolves made sure it was spelled out when he scored -- posting his picture on social media with the caption "The Korean Guy". "We needed to find a way to be solid and have enough attacking players to carry us up the pitch. We prepped for the game really well," Wolves manager Gary O'Neil told the BBC.

Persons: Pep Guardiola, Hwang Hee, Pedro, Neto, Matheus, Cunha, Guardiola, Guy, Ruben Dias, Hwang, Gary O'Neil, Alan Baldwin, Clare Fallon Organizations: Manchester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Saturday's Premier League, Molineux, South Korean, City's, Wolves, BBC, Thomson Locations: WOLVERHAMPTON, England, London

☆ Manchester United and City suffer losses on day of surprises in the Premier League
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Aimee Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Manchester United’s terrible start to the season continued Saturday as Erik ten Hag’s team fell to a 1-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace in the English Premier League. The defeat to London-based Palace was United’s second successive home defeat and fourth in seven league games, leaving Ten Hag’s team 10th in the league on nine points. It is United’s worst start to a Premier League season after seven games – and the club’s worst in the top-flight since the 1989-90 season, according to Reuters. City had won every league game this season and was expected to beat a Wolves team which had won just once in the league. But Pep Guardiola not only suffered a first league loss of the campaign but the second of the week, following the League Cup defeat to Newcastle on Wednesday.

Persons: Erik, Joachim Andersen’s, Michael Regan, Pep Guardiola, “, ”, Guardiola, Rúben Dias, Julian Álvarez’s, Hwang Hee, chan Organizations: CNN, Manchester, Crystal, English Premier League, Manchester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Premier League, Reuters, League, United, Wolves, Newcastle, Molineux Locations: London, Old Trafford, Manchester

☆ Relentless Man City seek record four titles in a row
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

However, such is the nature of the Premier League that City will certainly not have everything their own way. Juergen Klopp's side's failure to qualify for the Champions League would have stung, especially with Manchester United finishing eight points above them. Newcastle United, who finished fourth last term, will be determined to prove it was no flash in the pan, although they will need to juggle the demands of battling for a top-four finish with the Champions League this time. The additions of winger Harvey Barnes from Leicester City and Sandro Tonali from Milan will certainly help. Postecoglou is the first Australian to manage in the Premier League and faces a big challenge at the north London club who endured a toxic 2022-23 campaign under Antonio Conte.

Persons: Phil Foden, Aymeric Laporte, Ruben Dias, Pep Guardiola, Guardiola, pacesetters, Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez, Chelsea's Mateo Kovacic, Declan Rice, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Juergen, Erik ten Hag, Harvey Barnes, Sandro Tonali, Ange Postecoglou, Antonio Conte, Harry Kane, Martyn Herman, Ken Ferris Organizations: Soccer Football, Manchester, Victory, Champions League, FA, Premier League, Manchester United's, League, Inter Milan, pacesetters Arsenal, City, Arsenal, Etihad, LIVERPOOL Liverpool, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich, Luton Town's, Luton, Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest, Thomson Locations: Manchester, Britain, Manchester City, Abu Dhabi, Spanish, Istanbul, Barcelona, Al, Ahli, Saudi Arabia, City, Milan, Postecoglou, London, Fulham

☆ Manchester City's Rodri named Champions League Player of the Season
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 11 (Reuters) - Manchester City midfielder Rodri was named the Champions League's Player of the Season by UEFA on Sunday after a stellar 2022-23 campaign. Rodri appeared in all but one of City's Champions League matches, scoring twice. Napoli's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was named the Champions League's Young Player of the Season, capping a remarkable campaign for the 22-year-old Georgian. Kvaratskhelia won the league title with Napoli and also claimed Serie A's Player of the Season award earlier this month. Team of the season:Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)Defenders: Kyle Walker (Man City), Ruben Dias (Man City), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Federico Dimarco (Inter)Midfielders: John Stones (Man City), Kevin De Bruyne (Man City), Rodri (Man City)Forwards: Bernardo Silva (Man City), Erling Haaland (Man City), Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk Editing by Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Rodri, Napoli's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Kvaratskhelia, Thibaut Courtois, Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, Alessandro Bastoni, Federico Dimarco, John Stones, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland, Vinicius Junior, Tommy Lund, Toby Davis Organizations: Manchester City, UEFA, Spain international, City, Inter Milan, City's Champions League, Napoli, Inter, Midfielders, Real, Thomson Locations: Saturday's, Real Madrid, Man, Gdansk

☆ City's Haaland named Premier League Player of the Season
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 27 (Reuters) - Erling Haaland was named the Premier League's Player of the Season on Saturday, after a record-breaking debut campaign in which he has delivered goals by the sackful as Manchester City claimed their third straight league title. The 22-year-old was also voted the league's best young player, becoming the first person to win both awards in the same season. The Norwegian was voted Player of the Season by the public, the captains of the 20 Premier League clubs and a panel of soccer experts. "I am honoured to have become the first player to win both awards in the same season," Haaland said. Haaland will have the chance to add to his Premier League tally on Sunday when City visit Brentford for their final game of the season.

☆ Manchester City: Pep Guardiola's side lays claim to being Premier League's greatest ever team
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —When all is said and done, it is looking increasingly likely that this iteration of Manchester City will go down as the greatest team in Premier League history. A 'Premier League Champions' banner is revealed outside Manchester City's stadium on Saturday. Catherine Ivill/Getty Images Europe/Getty ImagesIndeed, defender Rúben Dias recently called Guardiola the “main piece” of this City team. Back in February, the Premier League accused Manchester City of more than 100 breaches of the league’s finance rules and referred the club to an independent commission. The Premier League told CNN it had no comment to make on the issue, while Rosen said he wasn’t taking press inquiries.

☆ Manchester City: Is 'unstoppable' team the best in the world?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

For years, this City team has dominated English football – winning four Premier League titles in the last five seasons – but it has failed to really stamp its authority in Europe. “I think that first half performance is one of the best I’ve ever seen,” former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha told Sky Sports. The timing of it, in the Champions League semifinal, that felt like one of the biggest games ever at that stadium. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola hailed a special night. Only one English team, Manchester United, has ever achieved the historic feat, but you’d be brave to bet against Manchester City in its current form.

☆ Manchester City cruises into FA Cup final with 3-0 victory over Sheffield United
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Manchester City’s treble hopes remain alive after defeating Sheffield United 3-0 in the FA Cup semifinal, thanks to a hattrick from Riyad Mahrez. Still, City is one of the best teams in Europe while Sheffield United is fighting for promotion in England’s second tier – the Championship – but it was not an entirely one-sided game. And then five minutes later, he had a hattrick – the first in an FA Cup semifinal since 1958 – latching onto Jack Grealish’s cross and making no mistake with the finish. “It feels very good (to score a hat-trick),” Mahrez told ITV afterwards. It’s a good team achievement and we took the game seriously.”City will face either Manchester United or Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup final on June 3.

☆ Guardiola defends City's lack of Champions League success
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Guardiola has won four Premier League titles, one FA Cup and four League Cups at City but European success has eluded the manager who won the trophy twice as Barcelona manager. Under the Spanish manager, City have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League for six straight seasons, with the English club's best finish being runners-up in 2021. When asked how much he wanted to win the Champions League title with City, Guardiola on Monday told reporters, "a lot". Every season the work you have to do is to stay in competitions - the Premier League, the Champions League, all the cups - the biggest goal is to stay in competitions as long as you can." On Tuesday, Guardiola and City will come up against Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel in the Champions League for the first time since the German manager's Chelsea team beat them in the 2021 final.

Doha, Qatar CNN —They’re known as The Atlas Lions, the Moroccan football team that’s ripped up the history books at the FIFA World Cup. Morocco's Youssef En-Nesyri, center, celebrates after scoring the only goal in his side's World Cup quarterfinal win over Portugal, at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on December 10, 2022. “I think this moment of joy resonates with everyone who is downtrodden.”Morocco’s success has also breathed new life into a once-lost identity, as people from across the Arab world celebrated the team’s victories. “If anything, [the World Cup] has shown the stark contrast between the rulers and the ruled, between the regimes and the publics,” he said. Walid Regragui, Morocco head coach, is thrown in the air after the team qualified for the World Cup knockout stages by beating Canada on December 1.

☆ Morocco Stuns Portugal to Advance to World Cup Semifinals
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Bruce Orwall | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

DOHA, Qatar—For three weeks here, Morocco had been immersed in one of the unlikeliest fantasies the World Cup has ever seen. It became the first team from an Arab nation to reach the tournament’s quarterfinals, seeming to unite the entire Arab world. A win against Portugal on Saturday would make it the first African team to make the semifinals. Late in the first half at Al Thumama Stadium, Morocco looked poised to add another, even more dreamlike chapter to the story. Morocco’s Youssef En-Nesyri skied high above Portugal defender Ruben Dias to head the ball into the goal and give Morocco a 1-0 lead just before halftime

☆ Morocco write World Cup history as they reach semi-finals
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Mark Gleeson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Morocco had already taken the scalps of Belgium and Spain in this tournament but the win over Portugal is of much greater significance. But the supply quickly dried up thereafter as Morocco closed the passing lanes and frustrated the Portuguese attackers. Joao Felix had two more half chances in the first half but Morocco gained in confidence and found a sudden spring in their step, frequently breaking on the counter attack. Bruno Fernandes hit over the top of the crossbar five minutes later as Portugal threw more into attack and Morocco began to sit deeper. Leaving the World Cup always hurts."

☆ En-Nesyri header gives Morocco 1-0 halftime lead over Portugal
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Hritika Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

DOHA, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Youssef En-Nesyri's towering header late in the first half gave first-time quarter-finalists Morocco a 1-0 lead over Portugal at halftime on Saturday. En-Nesyri, who had twice headed over the crossbar earlier, leapt higher than both Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa and defender Ruben Dias to put Morocco ahead in the 42nd minute. Portugal forward Joao Felix came close to opening the scoring on two occasions, forcing Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou into an early save before his strike in the 31st minute took a deflection and narrowly missed the target. The winner of the match will face either France or England, who play later on Saturday night, in the semi-final. Reporting by Hritika Sharma; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Gonçalo Ramos: Meet the striker who replaced Cristiano Ronaldo and made World Cup history at Qatar 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Not only was it his first start at Qatar 2022, the tournament’s first hat-trick, but Ramos’ three goals in this last-16 tie puts Ronaldo record in one-off World Cup games somewhat in the shade. Ronaldo has never scored in a World Cup knockout match, despite competing in five tournaments. Michael Steele/Getty ImagesBenfica CampusRamos is a product of the famous Benfica academy. Never gives up!” Ramos’ Benfica teammate Grimaldo told Marca. His trio of goals ensured Ramos became the first player to score a hat-trick in his first World Cup start since Miroslav Klose against Saudi Arabia in 2002.

☆ World Cup Round of 16: Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal face Switzerland for a place in the quarterfinals
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Switzerland, meanwhile, navigated a difficult group with victories against Cameroon and Serbia seeing them through to the knockout stages despite a loss to Brazil. The last time the two sides met was in the Nations League in June when Portugal dismantled Switzerland 4-0 in Lisbon. Switzerland celebrates defeating Serbia 3-2 and qualifying for the knockout stages. Like Portugal, Spain is entering its round of 16 match against Morocco immediately after a shock defeat to an Asian nation – a 2-1 loss to Japan – in the group stages. “We said we wanted to give everything we’ve got to get out of the group stages,” said Regragui, according to the Guardian.

☆ Near full-strength Portugal primed for Switzerland test
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Fernando Kallas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

AL-SHEHANIYA, Qatar, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Portugal coach Fernando Santos has been boosted by news that key midfielder Otavio should be fully fit and ready to play in their World Cup last-16 match against Switzerland on Tuesday. Santos was forced into a change at left back after Nuno Mendes was ruled out of the World Cup due to an injury suffered in the first half against Uruguay. Captain Cristiano Ronaldo will bid again to equal the record of World Cup goals scored for Portugal held by Eusebio, who racked up nine in 1966 in England. He is one goal away from matching the most World Cup goals scored by a Switzerland player - six, by Sepp Huegi all in 1954. The Swiss quietly finished second in their group behind Brazil, victories over Cameroon and Serbia earning their place in the last 16.

CNN —Before anyone else has arrived, Ruben Dias is at Manchester City’s training ground, ready to begin his day. “I had the chance of being in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Dias will be featuring at his second World Cup for Portugal. “The first day I met [Ronaldo], actually trained with him, he had just won the Champions League,” Dias recalls. Dias has won two Premier League trophies with Manchester City.

☆ Portugal ready to let their football do the talking against Ghana
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( William Schomberg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

DOHA, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Portugal will be keen to let their football do the talking when they face Ghana in their World Cup opener on Thursday amid controversy over Cristiano Ronaldo's comments about Manchester United and tensions between the squad and the media. But Ghana - who reached the World Cup quarter-finals in 2016 - arrived on the Arabian Peninsula with wind their sails too after beating Switzerland 2-0 in a friendly. No problems," five-times Ballon D'Or winner Ronaldo said on Monday. read moreHe led Portugal to triumph at Euro 2016 but World Cup glory has eluded him and Qatar represents his last chance. The teams met at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil when Portugal won 2-1 thanks to a late winner by Ronaldo.

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