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      I’m a Man Utd legend.. me and Quinton Fortune used to bully Cristiano Ronaldo – I’d smash him until he almost cried

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO used to get bullied by two Manchester United legends in training who smashed him and made him “almost cry”.The Portuguese superstar, 38, is currently playing for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr after his controversial exit from the Red Devils in December.
      Cristiano Ronaldo used to get bullied at Man Utd training as a youngsterCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      Quinton Fortune and Rio Ferdinand used to ‘smash’ the Portuguese starCredit: Getty
      That was the second time that he left Old Trafford having first starred for the club from 2003 to 2009.
      During that period he helped the club to three Premier League titles, the Champions League and the Fifa Club World Cup.
      Following his departure to Real Madrid, the forward went from strength-to-strength and continues to break records on an almost monthly basis for both club and country.
      But it has been revealed previously that Sir Alex Ferguson wanted to toughen him up after he was signed from Sporting Lisbon 20 years ago.
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      Now Rio Ferdinand, the ex-England and United defender, has opened up on the brutality.
      Speaking to Australian radio show Kyle and Jackie O, he said: “Me and a guy called Quinton Fortune … we used to take the mick out of him a lot.
      “[Ronaldo] was a lot younger than us at the time – borderline bullying, maybe, but it was just trying to, like, build him, build that resilience.”
      He also opened up on the epic table tennis battles he and Ronaldo had at the Carrington training ground in which ended up with the latter on the verge of tears every time he lost.
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      Ferdinand added: “We used to play every other day before training, as part of the warm-up. I used to smash him all over the place.
      “He did beat me … it was me and him, [ranked] one and two, like [Roger] Federer and [Rafael] Nadal.
      “If it was televised, it would have broken records. He used to, like, almost cry and that, he was so competitive.” More

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      Fans claim ‘this is real football’ as they spot touching gesture between rival supporters mid-game

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      FANS claimed “this is real football” after seeing a touching gesture from the Belgian Pro League over the weekend.High-flying Union Saint-Gilloise took on RFC Seraing in the penultimate regular season game of the campaign.

      Union Saint-Gilloise exchanged scarves with their counterpartsCredit: Twitter
      RFC Seraing supporters also offered up their merchandiseCredit: Twitter
      While the hosts are readying themselves for the championship play-offs, RFC Seraing were already guaranteed to come rock bottom ahead of kick-off.
      With Union leading 2-0 at half-time, there was no animosity between the two sets of supporters.
      In fact, everything was extremely good natured.
      Fans of the two clubs got stewards to help them exchange scarves in a gesture of goodwill.
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      A group of Union supporters beamed as they received their new souvenir.
      And one even blew a kiss at the RFC Seraing faithful.
      Seeing the clip on social media, a fan wrote: “This is real football. A party.”
      A second tweeted: “Bravo for the elegance of the gesture.”
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      And a third gushed: “This should be more often the case between clubs, even tough but respectful rivals for the love of football, it would change a lot of things.”
      While Union are in the title mix in the top flight, it’s not long ago that they were in the second tier alongside RFC Seraing.
      They were promoted as second tier champions 2021, while RFC Seraing also went up that season.
      Union Saint-Gilloise beat RFC Seraing 2-1 at the weekendCredit: AFP More

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      Eberechi Eze has banked 33 Dream Team points in three games under Roy Hodgson – midfielder appears in 0.7% of teams

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      DREAM TEAM managers should always expect the unexpected.When news broke of Roy Hodgson’s return to Crystal Palace following Patrick Vieira’s dismissal, few would have predicted that the Eagles would be instantly transformed into one of the most dynamic attacking teams in the Premier League.
      But that’s exactly what has happened.
      An unlikely friendship but one blossoming nonetheless
      The 75-year-old tactician has a wealth of knowledge but his managerial tenures at the back end of his career have generally been defined by pragmatism.
      Even the most optimistic season ticket holders at Selhurst Park would merely have shrugged and declared: “Well, it might not be pretty but Roy will probably get the job.”
      Not only is the ex-England coach getting the job done with three consecutive victories having all but saved the south Londoners from relegation already, the football is no less than beautiful.
      Hodgson’s second stint began with a 2-1 win over Leicester, continued with a swaggering 5-1 victory at Elland Road, and extended with a comfortable 2-0 win away to Southampton on Saturday.
      Eberechi Eze (£3m) scored both the visitors’ goals at St Mary’s to claim the Star Man award and bank 18 points in one fell swoop.
      It was the 24-year-old’s biggest haul of the Dream Team campaign and confirmation of the midfielder’s uplift since the change in dugout personnel.
      Eze has 92 points overall
      Eze has now produced 33 points in three games under Hodgson, whereas he mustered just nine from his last 13 appearances for Vieira.
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      This prosperous little run has featured three goals and two Star Man awards, making him one of the most in-form assets in the game over the last three Game Weeks.
      At the time of writing, the ex-QPR man is the best-performing midfielder of Game Week 30 – he’s five points clear of Martin Odegaard (£3.8m) and Harry Wilson (£1.7m).
      A talented dribbler, Eze has registered over a third of his total points since Hodgson’s return and if Palace are going to keep playing their way to mid-table safety will such panache then more than a few Dream Team bosses may feel he’s worth a punt.
      A man in sparkling formCredit: GETTY
      Eze features in just 0.7% of teams right now and is therefore a massive differential option.
      And he can’t have asked for more friendly fixtures, he faces Everton, Wolves and West Ham before the end of the month which will make it six consecutive games against teams below Palace in the table. More

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      Fears Levi Colwill could snub new Chelsea deal amid manager uncertainty and transfer interest from Premier League rivals

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      CHELSEA defender Levi Colwill could reject a new contract due to the Blues’ managerial uncertainty, according to reports.The 20-year-old centre-back has attracted interest from the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool following an impressive campaign on loan at Brighton.
      Levi Colwill has had a superb season with BrightonCredit: Getty
      The Seagulls are also monitoring the possibility of securing a permanent move for the England U21 international in the summer.
      Chelsea are hoping to tie Colwill down to a long-term deal and do not want to sell the young defender.
      He is under contract until 2025 – with the option of an additional 12 months if he plays a certain number of games.
      However, The Athletic are reporting that Colwill wants to wait until the Blues announce their new permanent head coach before deciding his future.
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      Frank Lampard has taken charge of the club on an interim basis, but is expected to depart in the summer.
      Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann have been mooted as potential successors to Graham Potter – who was sacked earlier this month.
      And while the club have plans for Colwill, he is still assessing his options before he considers a contract extension.
      Chelsea have a host of centre-backs in their squad – including Kalidou Koulibaly, Benoit Badiashile, Thiago Silva, Wesley Fofana and Trevoh Chalobah.
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      Marc Cucurella, Reece James and Cesar Azpilicueta can also fill in at centre-half.
      And the Blues are set to miss out on European football next season, meaning Colwill’s opportunities could be limited at Stamford Bridge.
      And if he does not pen a new deal, Chelsea may choose to sell him to raise funds in order to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.
      Owner Todd Boehly has spent £600million across the last two transfer windows.
      Colwill has made 15 appearances for Brighton this season, keeping six clean sheets.
      As well as his loan spell with the South Coast side, he also turned heads with his displays on loan at Huddersfield during their 2021/22 Championship campaign.
      He made 32 appearances for The Terriers, helping them reach the play-off final before they were beaten 1-0 by Nottingham Forest.
      Colwill wore the No26 shirt while at Huddersfield, leading many Chelsea fans to label him the “new John Terry”. More

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      Man Utd fans shocked and worried by Antony’s reaction to seeing Harry Maguire during Nottingham Forest goal celebration

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      ANTONY had fans worried after his reaction to Harry Maguire joining in his goal celebrations on Sunday.The Brazilian international opened the scoring as Manchester United earned a 2-0 victory at Nottingham Forest.
      Antony’s reaction to Harry Maguire joining in his goal celebration had Twitter talkingCredit: AFP

      Following good work from Anthony Martial, the winger reacted quickest after the Frenchman’s shot had been saved to prod home the rebound.
      The 23-year-old, obviously delighted with his first Premier League goal for three months, raced away to celebrate as his team-mates quickly joined in.
      Antony first met Diogo Dalot, who scored the second, with a handshake and smile.
      However, his face appeared to suddenly drop as Maguire appeared.
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      And his unimpressed facial expression soon had United supporters taking to social media.
      Sharing a clip of the incident, one tweeted: “This video is only 2 seconds long but Antony’s reaction to seeing Maguire says a lot.”
      Another wrote: “This is not a good attitude towards Maguire by Antony. Not even during a goal celebration.”
      A fellow fan said: “Nahhh look at Antony’s face as soon as maguire goes up to him.”
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      But another jumped to the defence of club captain Maguire.
      They wrote: “I’m sorry, but I don’t find this funny. It’s obvious some senior players have been saying stuff about Maguire.
      “Antony would be warming the bench at most top clubs. He needs to worry about his poor performances this season instead of Maguire.”
      Maguire was back in the starting XI after injuries to first-choice duo Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez.
      He has found himself on the bench for the majority of the campaign under Erik ten Hag and has been linked with a move away this summer. More

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      How unknown defenders from farming town helped transform Erling Haaland into Premier League’s most deadly striker

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      TWO unknown defenders from a farming town helped transform Erling Haaland into the Premier League’s deadliest striker.The Manchester City forward, 22, is enjoying a staggering first season in England.
      Erling Haaland is the hottest striker in the Premier LeagueCredit: EPA
      He learnt his trade at boyhood club Bryne in NorwayCredit: Getty
      He has blasted in a whopping 47 goals in 40 games across all competitions for the Citizens, adding his latest pair in the 3-1 win over Leicester at the weekend.
      Incredibly, 40 of those have been scored with just one touch – taking the ball early and often smashing it past helpless goalkeepers.
      And a large part of that was learnt as a kid in the academy at boyhood club Bryne in southern Norway.
      Haaland was bumped up a year aged seven as he was too good for his peers – that meant he went up against defenders Tord Johnsen Salte and Andreas Ueland in each training session.
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      The duo were in the year above and, with Haaland not having a growth spurt until 15, dominated the striker physically.
      That forced Haaland to have to deal with aggressive centre-backs from an early age and find different ways to score.
      Bryne youth coach Alf Ingve Bernsten told the Daily Mail: “He really struggled in the training sessions.
      “We didn’t coach him at all, we just let him play.
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      “Against those defenders, he had to be clever. His opponents were quite good.
      “We could not develop Erling, he had to do that himself. It’s better for Erling to learn for himself rather than an old man like me telling him where to run.
      “He always plays on instinct and that is based on experience. It’s not all due to his strength and power, it’s technical ability and smarts, fooling defenders.
      “When I see old videos of him at 13, his movement is quite similar to now. It’s funny but it’s the same.
      “Normally when you meet better opposition you stop developing, but Erling has always adapted to the next level and that’s not normal.”
      Unlike Haaland, who moved to Molde, Red Bull Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and then City, Salte and Ueland have not kicked on to have the same fame.
      Norway youth international Salte had a spell with Lyon’s youth set-up but is now back in his homeland with third-tier Arendal.
      Ueland moved to America on a scholarship at the University of Virginia.
      He was selected by New England Revolution in the MLS SuperDraft in December but appears to be without a club after departing the club two months later.
      Norway youth international Tord Johnsen Salte used his physicality against HaalandCredit: Getty
      Andreas Ueland had a spell in America but now appears to be without a clubCredit: Getty More

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      Phil Jones ‘cannot play for Man Utd despite injury crisis after defender suffered serious distress in latest setback’

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      PHIL JONES will not play for Manchester United this season, despite injuries suffered by Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez.The Red Devils are down to just Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof after Varane and Martinez were struck down.
      Phil Jones hasn’t played for Manchester United since last seasonCredit: Reuters
      Martinez, 25, will miss the remainder of the campaign after fracturing a metatarsal bone in his foot.
      While an injury suffered by Varane in the same match will keep the Frenchman out for at least a “few weeks”.
      While Maguire and Lindelof are the only out and out centre-backs currently at boss Erik ten Hag’s disposal, fans will not see the return of Jones.
      The 31-year-old returned from a long lay off last season and played five times under Ralf Rangnick.
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      He then worked tirelessly last summer to get himself in the best possible shape ahead of pre-season.
      But according to The Athletic, he suffered a relapse of his long-term knee issue on the very first day of training with team-mates.
      The issue was said to have caused Jones “serious distress” and has kept him out since.
      He has not been able to complete a single training session under Ten Hag and is not in United’s Premier League or Europa League squads.
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      Lisandro Martinez suffered a season-ending injury last ThursdayCredit: Rex
      Jones would theoretically be eligible for their FA Cup semi-final with Brighton, but won’t be fit to play.
      The defender is likely to leave upon the conclusion of his contract at the end of this season.
      And Luke Shaw is seen a more viable option to cover at centre-back.
      Jones appeared on Sky Sports’ coverage of United’s Carabao Cup final victory over Newcastle in February.

      On his injury woes, he said: “It’s been a long road, there’s no hiding from that – at times physically and mentally.
      “I’m a strong character and I love playing football. I’m doing everything I can to get back on the pitch.
      “When you’ve had all the issues and injury wise, it’s hard to deal with that.
      “The club have been absolutely fantastic with me. I think I’ve had good support around me from family and friend.
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      “I’m grateful for that and I want to be back outside.”
      Jones has played 229 times for Man United since joining from Blackburn Rovers in 2011.
      Martinez and Raphael Varane are currently unavailable to boss Erik ten HagCredit: Getty More

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      Eagle-eyed fans wonder if ‘they missed something’ after seeing unusual thing in Cristiano Ronaldo’s sauna snap

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      FANS have spotted something unusual about Cristiano Ronaldo’s latest picture. The 38-year-old took to the sauna in his Instagram story as he looked to enjoy some downtime after a busy week in Saudi Arabia.
      Ronaldo has been enjoying life in Saudi Arabia since leaving Man United last yearCredit: AFP
      Ronaldo’s painted toe nails caught the eye on social mediaCredit: Instagram
      Ronaldo showed off his ripped physique in the snap but the attention of fans was drawn to something other than the star’s abs.
      They quickly noticed that Ronaldo appeared to have his toenails painted black.
      It is not the first time the Al Nassr forward has done this either, with followers also drawn to his feet when he was pictured with UFC fighter Francis Ngannou earlier this year.
      Fans registered their surprise at Ronaldo’s sauna picture on Twitter.
      READ MORE ON RONALDO
      One said: “Did I miss something or everyone else missed it. Did Ronaldo paint his toe nails?”
      While another said: “All I know is athletes who do MMA usually add paint to get a protective layer or something.”
      A source appeared to confirm this theory to German publication Bild.
      They said: “Many top athletes do this to protect their nails from fungi and bacteria when they are stuck in sweaty shoes for hours. Even Mike Tyson.”
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      Ronaldo has been in fine form since making the switch to Saudi Arabia at the turn of the year.
      He has 11 goals in 10 league matches and now trails the Saudi Pro League’s top scorer Odion Ighalo, the ex-Watford striker, by just five goals.

      But it has not all been plain-sailing with the Al-Nassr manager Rudi Garcia sacked last week.
      The head coach reportedly clashed with first team players before being given his marching orders.
      Al Nassr sit second in the Saudi Pro League, three points behind leaders Al-Ittihad. More