The Life of Carlo: Mia San Mia

MADRID SEND RONALDO WARNING

Real Madrid has warned the Portuguese national team that their star man and captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, isn’t physically ready to play for his country versus Armenia in the Euro 2016 Qualifiers.

Speaking from Real Madrid’s training ground, Valdebebas, the club’s assistant manager and former captain Fernando Hierro stated that Ronaldo is currently nursing a tendonitis problem in his left knee, an issue which haunted the 30-year-old’s 2014 World Cup campaign in Brazil.

Hierro has advised Portugal not to use Ronaldo versus Armenia on behalf of the club, with Real Madrid playing Borussia Mönchengladbach for the UEFA Super Cup just three days later.

“We want Ronaldo fit and healthy for the start and the rest of the season, so it makes sense for Portugal to rest him against Armenia,” said Hierro.

“Ronaldo has had a re-occurrence of his tendonitis problem, and it’s something we must manage very carefully. I think Portugal are in a good position to play things out without Ronaldo, or else, I’m afraid we may be seeing less of him during the season.

Madrid and Portugal found themselves in a similar dispute over Ronaldo’s well-being in 2014, with former club president Florentino Perez urging his talisman to pull out of the World Cup.

Portugal currently sit one point behind Group I leaders Denmark in second place, whereas Armenia are yet to register a win in the five-team qualification group.

FIGO: “EASY ON RONALDO”

Ex-Real Madrid star and Portugal captain Luis Figo has pleaded for both club and country to come to an immediate consensus over Cristiano Ronaldo’s well-being.

Ronaldo, as was revealed by the Real Madrid assistant manager Fernando Hierro, is suffering from a re-occurrence of his tendonitis issue in his left knee, with his club requesting that he pulls out of international duty to continue his recuperation.

However, as was the case in 2014, Portugal seem adamant to keep their captain with them for their Euro 2016 Qualifier versus pointless Armenia, causing tensions once more between Portugal and the UEFA Champions’ League holders.

Figo says that both Portugal and Real Madrid are prone to being selfish over the case, and unless they come to a consensus over Ronaldo’s situation, his career may suffer in the long run.

“We must be very careful and easy on Ronaldo’s situation. He’s at the top of the game, so he is clearly vital to both, but he has to be managed well.

“We are talking about an injury which has emerged again, and with it could come many more if the two aren’t careful. Both Madrid and Portugal must work together to overcome his injuries, as being selfish at this time can only make his career shorter.

Portugal’s medical staff will deem whether or not Ronaldo is fit to face Armenia in the coming hours ahead of tomorrow’s clash at the Estadio Municipal Dr. Magalhaes Pessoa.

CR7 STRUGGLES IN PORTUGAL WIN

Portugal has ignored Real Madrid’s warnings over Cristiano Ronaldo’s injury worries by starting the captain versus Armenia in a 2-0 win, with the infamous number seven scoring Portugal’s second goal.

Ronaldo was passed fit by Portugal’s medical staff and started for his country in their home win versus Armenia, much to the disappointment of Real Madrid officials.

With a strapped-up knee, Ronaldo managed to double Portugal’s lead in the 49th minute from a trademark free kick, but requested a substitution shortly after.

Following the game, Portugal boss Fernando Santos declared that he believes Ronaldo’s injury is minor and that he’d be fit for Madrid this week.

“Ronaldo’s substitution was precautionary and what we did was little more than utilise one of our best players. Real Madrid would have done the same.

“We got the win, that’s the important thing, and I took off Ronaldo because I felt we had a good handle of the game and there was no more reason to keep him on the field. I expect him to be fit for Friday.”

Ronaldo is likely to miss Portugal’s final team meeting in order to travel back to Spain and begin his preparations for Real Madrid’s UEFA Super Cup clash versus Borussia Mönchengladbach.

RONALDO UNLIKELY TO FEATURE

Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo is likely to miss out on the start of the season, following a re-occurrence of his tendonitis issue in his left knee, according the his manager Carlo Ancelotti.

The Portugal captain was called up and included in the squad that faced Armenia in a 2-0 victory, as his nation ignored warnings from Real Madrid concerning his knee problems.

Italian manager Ancelotti has now admitted he fears Ronaldo may not be ready for Madrid’s start to the new season, with Borussia Mönchengladbach up first in the UEFA Super Cup this Friday.

“Perhaps I am being a little too pessimistic when I say this, but I think we can expect Ronaldo to be out for a couple of weeks.

“We want to eradicate this issue, so it would be advisable to miss the first few games of the season, which is a shame because he’s obviously a fundamental part of our team. At best, he will play less than a half on Friday.”

Ancelotti has also expressed his sadness at the ongoing feud between Portugal and Real Madrid, stating it does the player’s health and image no good.

“This isn’t a nice situation, and I’m perhaps fortunate I only received the tail-end of it at the beginning of last season.

“To have a club in conflict with a national team is far from ideal for me and it puts Ronaldo in a very difficult position, both physically and mentally. That’s the last thing we all want, but it’s what we are getting.”

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RONALDO ‘READY’

Cristiano Ronaldo has declared himself fit to face Borussia Mönchengladbach this Friday in the UEFA Super Cup, following fears he would be out for 1-2 weeks.

The Real Madrid talisman has been suffering from a tendonitis issue in his right knee, a condition which, apparently, worsened after Portugal played their captain against Armenia in the Euro 2016 Qualifiers, despite Los Merengues pleading for him not to feature.

Los Blancos manager Carlo Ancelotti stated Ronaldo was likely to miss approximately two weeks of the start of the season, but the Portuguese captain has declared himself fit to face Gladbach on the eve of their flight to Monaco, training without a strapped-up knee for the first time since his injury was made public.

“I’ve had fantastic help from the Real Madrid and Portugal physios in the past days and now I’m ready for the start of the season,” said Ronaldo.

“I managed to get a good day’s training session under my belt, so I’d consider myself ready to play for the club. Ultimately, it’s the manager’s call.

Ronaldo refused to be drawn into any discussion involving the feud between Portugal and Real Madrid.

HE DOESN’T CARE ANYMORE

By Manuel Carlos Estevao

From being just another little boy in the island of Madeira to becoming a world Phenom in the upper echelons of football, we’ve been there every step of the way to see Cristiano Ronaldo turn into what he is today.

We followed him out to Manchester United in 2003, shared his tears in the final of Euro 2004 and backed him through his turbulent return to England in 2006, following the incident that saw Wayne Rooney being given a red card in the 2006 World Cup, before crying alongside him once more thanks to his triumphs.

Collectively, we all switched our attentions and allegiances to Real Madrid in 2009, giving him all our support and love to see a Portuguese man branded as ‘the World’s Best Player’. At that’s the stage we find ourselves in right now. As a journalist who often travels throughout the globe, colleagues of profession are always referring to my country as “the land of Cristiano Ronaldo,” to which I respond, “Yes, I come from the same nation as the best player in the world.”

As a Portuguese national, I can look back on that sentence with a lot of pride, knowing that somewhere along the line the support from many of my compatriots has contributed to Ronaldo’s individual accolades, but now our man is there, he’s turned our back on us all of a sudden, which makes me wonder, does Ronaldo still care about Portugal?

My answer, in short, would be “No.” Portugal does not offer the structure for Ronaldo to succeed in the same way that Real Madrid does, hence why our captain isn’t the same beast that he is when he plays in all white. Attempts have been made to form a team around the Ballon d’Or winner, but Portugal just doesn’t have the quality to dominate in the way Real Madrid does, as was the case in the 2014 Brazil World Cup and in qualifying for other major competitions. He’s a generation too late.

It’s clear for everyone to see that Ronaldo has become, and always will be, the centre of the national team, which is why he is often selfish, demanding the ball from his teammates at every given opportunity, meanwhile we fail to click as a real team should. The poor results begin to come in and slowly Ronaldo begins to drift away from participating in international duty, because no top player wants to be associated with bad results at the highest level, right?

Ronaldo is disengaging with the national team and with us via injuries when we need him most, and as we’ve seen in the past few days, not a squeak came from Ronaldo when he was a doubt for Portugal, but as soon as the same became the case for Real Madrid, the skipper immediately spoke out stating he was ready to play.

Real Madrid is where his new home is, not with us. It is they who pay his wages, and wherever money is concerned, his agent, Jorge Mendes, is likely to swarm around it a flip Ronaldo’s mind. Real Madrid is and always will be Ronaldo’s priority.

MADRID LAND CAVANI DEAL

Real Madrid has completed the long awaited transfer of Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani for £46.5 million, as promised by club president Emilio Butragueño in April.

Butragueño had pledged to sign the Uruguayan hit man, and despite confirmation from Carlo Ancelotti that Real Madrid wouldn't go in for Cavani, the club president has decided to conclude the deal.

Butragueño stated his adoration for Cavani's style of play & is confident the former PSG man can have more success in Madrid than in Paris.

"We're all extremely delighted to welcome Cavani to our squad, an addition which will no doubt make our team even stronger.

"Everyone knows of my admiration for him. He's a player who I believe will fit into our mentality perfectly. He's a ruthless striker who is bound to be more of a hit with us in La Liga than in Ligue 1."

Cavani signals the continuation of the Galactico era, following the arrival of Gareth Bale & James Rodriguez in the past two seasons.

Despite winning the UEFA Champions' League in those two years, new signings deemed unnecessary have contributed to the departures of Mesut Özil & Angel Di Maria in the past.

Playing just one striker throughout last season, the arrival of Cavani is likely to cut Karim Benzema's & Munir El Haddadi's playing time, who scored 67 goals between them last season.

ANCELOTTI QUITS

Carlo Ancelotti has decided to abandon his post as manager of Real Madrid with immediate effect, after forwarding a letter of resignation to the club president Emilio Butragueño in the past couple of days.

The former AC Milan man is rumoured to be unhappy with the signing of Edinson Cavani from Paris Saint-Germain for £46.5 million, with many of Real Madrid's players also in a similar position.

Ancelotti released a statement expressing his content with his tenure at the Santiago Bernabeu and apologising for seeking a change of scenery so close to the start of the season, steering clear of making comments on Cavani.

"I've had a magnificent two-year-spell with Madrid, perhaps the best in my entire career, so I'd like to leave my legacy as it is.

"I've done all I could to place Real Madrid in the position they've worked so hard to be in for many years. I'll take back many positive memories of winning 'La Decima' and all the success and accolades that came with the 2014/2015 season, but that's where I'll end this chapter of my life.

"Real Madrid have a new president with unique ideologies, so I think it's the right time to step aside, having placed the club in a comfortable position to dominate world football again.

"I'll be seeking a fresh challenge in the meantime, but I shall always have a part of me that belongs here. Hala Madrid!"

Ancelotti had just signed a new five-year-deal with the club at the end of the season, but the signing of Cavani is believed to have triggered his decision to walk away from the club.

The Italian made a public statement little less than a month ago that he wouldn't pursue the signing of Cavani and failed to turn up to the Uruguayan's presentation to the fans & media.

Current strikers Karim Benzema, Munir El Haddadi & Jesé Rodriguez are all thought to be upset at Cavani's signature too, with Ancelotti reluctant to handle the rotation of his trusted forwards with the arrival of a new multi-million pound signing.

On top of that, Ancelotti was also left upset during his final year, as the speculated return of Carlos Queiroz shadowed him throughout Real Madrid's most successful season.

Ancelotti won a total of two UEFA Champions' League's, two Copa del Rey trophies, one La Liga title and the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup Championship in his two-year reign in Madrid.

ANCELOTTI’S NEXT STEP

Rumour has Carlo Ancelotti is looking for a route straight back into football management, having resigned as Real Madrid manager. But who will step up to take the most decorated manager of 2014/2015?

FC Bayern Munich

Jurgen Klopp managed to get a stranglehold on the Bundesliga title last season, resulting in Pep Guardiola’s sacking at the end of last season, having finished 3rd. This season, Klopp’s Dortmund are threatening to do the same again, already five points ahead of Bayern Munich in 4th. Former AC Milan and Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri is struggling to turn around Bayern’s fortunes, and with Ancelotti now available, reports in Germany suggest the Bavarians may go back in for the UEFA Champions’ League winner.

Arsenal

Guardiola isn’t having the best of times either, having been given the boot by Bayern Munich. The Barcelona legend succeeded Arsene Wenger, who just so happens to be Carlo Ancelotti’s successor at Real Madrid, in what could be his final stint as manager. Arsenal are desperate for Barclays Premier League success, but Guardiola’s strategies and have done very little to indicate that the Gunners are back on the rise, already falling behind rivals Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hostpur and Chelsea. Furthermore, Guardiola’s decision to sell both Mathieu Debuchy and Kieran Gibbs, in order to play Calum Chambers and new signing Stefan De Vrij at full back, hasn’t gone down well with the Arsenal faithful.

Liverpool

If you thought life as an Arsenal fan was a tad miserable, you clearly don’t know what it’s like to be a Liverpool fan, having spent their transfer kitty from the Luis Suarez deal to end up just scrapping 5th place in the Premier League last season. Brendan Rodgers attempted to rectify his errors by selling Mamadou Sakho to Inter Milan and releasing Steven Gerrard, as he invested in Jan Vertonghen and Maxime Gonalons. Nothing’s changed and Rodgers has been given his marching orders by FSG. Ancelotti has unfinished business in England. Could Liverpool be his next destination?

Inter Milan

Inter Milan are a club in dire need of a push back up the Serie A ladder. Not since the days of Jose Mourinho has the club been feared by most in Italy, and although Walter Mazzarri managed to finish 3rd last season, he was a long way away from the champions, Juventus, and Roma. This season the former Napoli man has stalled in 9th place and Inter owner Erick Thohir has lost his patience. Would Ancelotti take the opportunity to return home and manage his eternal rivals?

Atletico Madrid

Speaking of rivals, how about Atletico Madrid? Loyalty is dead in modern day after all and it may be the chance for Ancelotti to seek some sort of personal vendetta over former club Real Madrid, if there is one. Atletico finished far behind Real Madrid and Barcelona in 3rd place and find themselves 5th in the new season. Despite not boasting the same funds as their title rivals, many in the red half of Madrid were hopeful Atletico could push on as a club and prove the 2013/2014 season wasn’t a one off. Would they dare sack Diego Simeone? It seems they would!

FC Porto

Rather dissimilar to the aforementioned clubs, FC Porto have been linked to the appointment of Ancelotti, vying for top spot in Portugal. Their bitter rivals Benfica have taken the title for two consecutive seasons, despite selling many of their star players last season and the heavy influx of La Liga talent coming into Porto’s squad. There’s a sense in northern Portugal that Julen Lopetegui's days as Porto manager are numbered, as they finished 3rd last season and find themselves in the same position again.

Southampton

Perhaps the most outlandish link is that of Southampton’s who occupy 17th place in the Barclays Premier League table after three games. Ronald Koeman was given the chop mid-season and compatriot Ruud Gullit did little to appease the Saints’ fans and board by finishing 14th. His position as manager is a ticking time bomb, with the aspirations of playing Europa League football looking out of reach once more. The Saints have lost the likes of Nathaniel Clyne and James Ward-Prowse, but have reinvested some of the cash in Wilfried Bony, with their youth academy showing great prospect as always. A long-term project for Ancelotti?

Authors Note

I’ve broken up the story’s save into bits, so whatever club is chosen will vary the time in which the season is at (August 2015-October 2015). All clubs are available and the choice is YOURS. What club do you want to see me manage? Drop a comment or vote via strawpoll.