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Real Madrid vs Sporting Portugal, 2016 Champions League

Real Madrid have won the European Cup/Champions League on 11 occasions – including two of the last three (2014, 2016) – more than any other team.

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The Portuguese side had coach Jorge Jesus sent to the stands for his remonstrations at referee Paolo Tagliavento’s decision to book William Carvalho for a challenge on Luka Modric, and from there his team came under increased pressure.

The 31-year-old has lifted numerous trophies at club level and finally added global silverware to his haul by winning Euro 2016 in July.

Elsewhere, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund are in action, with the Italian champions playing host to Europa League winners Sevilla, while Thomas Tuchel’s side travel to Legia Warsaw.

You would think that would be enough to put the issue to bed. Madeira is so small, I couldn’t believe the traffic and noise of a capital city.

“I wanted to face Sporting again”, he said in an interview with UEFA.

Ronaldo was forced to miss crucial league games and the first leg of Real’s Champions League semifinal against Manchester City with a hamstring injury.

“I wouldn’t say we are favourites. He played. Xavi has won everything – World Cups and Euros, but he’s never won a Balon d’Or”.

While Eusebio was an outstanding player in his own right – scoring 41 times in 64 appearances for Portugal – he became an ambassador for both Benfica and his country after his career.

The prospect of bigger crowds at the English national stadium convinced Tottenham to make the short move across north London and the crowd is expected to set a new record for the largest attendance for a home Champions League game in Britain. “I’m always thinking about the two months he was out because that’s a long time for a player”. “Of course it’s special for him because it’s his club and he grew up there, but he’s very professional and he will give everything, as he always does”, Zidane said. But were Ronaldo to land the domestic title and win in the European Cup final in Cardiff next June then it would be his greatest season at Real Madrid to date.

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“The competition is just starting and a lot of teams want to win it”. We want to go as far as we can, we feel we have a group that we can definitely qualify from.

Ronaldo