Page 31 - bon-dia-aruba-20210828

A31
sports Diasabra 28 augustus 2021

Ronaldo makes sensational return to Man United

(AP) - Cristiano Ronaldo is head- aldo’s long-time rival — joined Paris with Madrid, but was the top scorer time Solskjaer was sounding positive
ing back to Manchester United, Saint-Germain after his contract at in Serie A for the last two seasons and about United’s hopes.
the team that turned him into a Barcelona expired. PSG forward Kyl- scored 101 goals in 134 appearances.
global superstar. ian Mbappe is also the subject of a bid It is not the first time United has
of about 160 million euros ($188 mil- “In the end,” Ronaldo said, “we can beaten City to a player that both
In a fast-moving deal that stunned lion) from Real Madrid. all look back and realize that we clubs apparently wanted. Alexis San-
the world of soccer, Ronaldo secured achieved great things, not all that we chez joined United in 2018 after ap-
a return to Old Trafford on Friday — Yet Ronaldo returning to United was wanted, but still, we wrote a pretty pearing to be close to moving to City,
a day after telling Juventus he no lon- not long in the making. beautiful story together.” while United was prepared to pay 80
ger wanted to play for the Italian club. million pounds (then $97 million) to
Indeed, the team did not expect him Solskjaer had already dropped hints sign Harry Maguire from Leicester
“Welcome back, Cristiano,” read a to leave Juventus in this transfer win- that United would be trying to sign in 2019 — a sum City didn’t try to
tweet posted by United. Within min- dow and only made a move when it its former star when speaking at a match.
utes, the club’s official website had became clear he would be available. news conference on Friday, reveal-
crashed. ing that its playmaker from Portugal, United, which hasn’t won the Pre-
On Thursday, Ronaldo met with Ju- Bruno Fernandes, had been talking to mier League since 2013, has also
Ronaldo is 36 years old, a completely ventus coach Massimiliano Allegri Ronaldo. signed England winger Jadon San-
different player to the skinny, outra- and told him he wanted to leave the cho and France center back Raphael
geously skillful 17-year-old winger club where he had spent the last three “Agent Bruno,” Fernandes later Varane for a combined cost of about
who first arrived at United from years after joining from Madrid. He tweeted with a laughing emoji. $150 million.
Sporting Lisbon in 2003 with a box had one year left on his contract.
of tricks but little end product. In Before playing his first game back With Ronaldo also now joining the
the following six years, he scored 118 By Friday, Ronaldo was boarding a at United, Ronaldo will feature for squad, there will be an expectation on
goals in 292 appearances and swiftly private jet from Turin to Lisbon, in Portugal in World Cup qualifiers and Solskjaer to deliver a first trophy of
became one of the most fearsome his native Portugal, and saying the has the chance to become the lead- his tenure that began in 2018.
strikers in the world, winning the world would soon be made aware of ing scorer in men’s international soc-
first of his five FIFA world player of his next move. cer. He has 109 goals for his national Ronaldo’s work rate and pressing
the year awards. team, tied with former Iran striker Ali might be questionable in the twilight
By then, United was the clear front- Daei. of his career but he remains a reliable
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the current runner after fierce rival Manchester and proven scorer. With his five goals
Man United manager, knows that all City pulled out of the running for his The landscape in English soccer has and one assist, he won the Golden
too well. He was once a teammate of signature. changed in the 12 years Ronaldo has Boot at this year’s European Cham-
Ronaldo. been away. United and Chelsea were pionship despite only playing four
“Everyone at the club looks forward the top teams in the Premier League games.
“He is the greatest player of all time, to welcoming Cristiano back to Man- when he left, but Man City has been
definitely,” Solskjaer said Friday after chester,” United said in a brief state- the dominant force over the past He is likely to share striker duties
Ronaldo’s return was sealed. ment. decade, winning the title five times with another veteran player, 34-year-
from 2012. old Uruguay international Edinson
Ronaldo will join for a fee of 15 mil- Ronaldo soon took to Instagram, say- Cavani, with exciting prospect Ma-
lion euros ($17. 7 million), with 8 ing he gave his “heart and soul for Ju- City had been considering an op- son Greenwood — at 19, nearly half
million euros ($9.4 million) in add- ventus.” tion to buy Ronaldo after its top tar- Ronaldo’s age — set to revert to play-
ons. The transfer is subject to agree- get, Harry Kane, said Wednesday he ing as a wide forward in competition
ment of personal terms, visa and a “I’ll always love the city of Turin until was staying at Tottenham for now. with Marcus Rashford and Sancho.
medical examination. my final days,” he wrote. It would have been a controversial
move, considering Ronaldo’s past It is a short-term move by United, no
It is the latest blockbuster move of He never won the Champions links with United, but City manager doubt. But one that will shake up the
the transfer window, coming barely League with Juventus, like he did Pep Guardiola was downplaying the Premier League and generate excite-
two weeks after Lionel Messi — Ron- with United in 2008 and four times prospect on Friday — about the same ment inside the club’s vast fan base.

NFL’s vaccine rate at 93%, mandatory shots were discussed

(AP) - The NFL says 93% of players at that point, we began banging the required hospitalization. The NFL said that 120 players have
are vaccinated for COVID-19 and drum for what (the NFLPA’s) experts received warning letters with 25
the league wanted mandatory also concede is the single greatest Regarding daily testing, Sills said players fined for mask or tracking
vaccination but the NFLPA way that we can protect the players “testing isn’t prevention.” device violations.
wouldn’t agreed to it. and the staff, which is to get to a 100
percent vaccination level. That was “It’s one part of our mitigation Under league rules, the first offense
The league also has asked the our request from that, and we would strategy but it’s not the key part,” he for violating the protocols will result
players’ union to adjust protocols so still love to see that mandate go into said. “It’s not testing alone that will in a fine of $14,650. Repeat violations
vaccinated players would be tested effect tomorrow.” get us through this surge.” could result in a player being
weekly instead of every 14 days. suspended or fined a week’s salary.
Unvaccinated players are tested daily. NFL officials also do not have a
vaccine mandate.
NFLPA president JC Tretter, a center
for the Cleveland Browns, said earlier The league reported 68 positives
this week the decision not to make cases out of 7,190 tested individuals
vaccination mandatory was done between Aug. 1-21. The 0.95%
by the league. But league officials incidence rate is lower than in most
disputed that assertion. communities.

“We’ve been discussing mandatory Dr. Allen Sills, the league’s chief
vaccination from the start,” NFL medical officer, said almost all cases
deputy general counsel Larry across have been the Delta variant. He
Ferazani said Thursday. “In fact, we said vaccinated individuals have had
took the lead and required staff and very mild upper respiratory illness,
coaches to be vaccinated in order to shorter duration. Sills also said none
have access to a player. Beginning of the players who’ve tested positive