Cristiano Ronaldo is back at Manchester United, and if the club's matches weren't already must-watch with one of the most star-studded attacks in Europe, they just got a lot more interesting.
The Red Devils acquired Ronaldo in a transfer from Italian side Juventus, reuniting him with a club for which he starred over six seasons and broke out as one of the best players in the game.
The acquisition fell late on a Friday just four days before the close of the European summer transfer window, which was way too tight a turnaround for Ronaldo to realistically see any playing time in Sunday's Premier League match at Wolves.
Multiple reports have Ronaldo's second debut coming against Newcastle United on Sunday September 12 (AEST) following the international break for World Cup qualifiers.
— Mark Ogden (@MarkOgden_) August 27, 2021
Ronaldo is expected to captain Portugal in its 2022 World Cup qualifiers against the Republic of Ireland and at Azerbaijan, while there will also be a friendly match against Qatar.
The Portuguese lead World Cup qualifying in Group A, tied with Serbia at seven points after two wins and a draw. The group winner qualifies directly for the World Cup while the runner-up advances to a playoff.
The 36-year-old superstar has played only 30 minutes of competitive football since the end of Euro 2020 in June, but there will be plenty of minutes up for grabs at Manchester United this season with a schedule that could see the club play more than 60 competitive matches across four competitions.
Man Utd's upcoming match schedule and how to watch Ronaldo's Old Trafford return
| Date (AEST) | Time (AEST) | Match | Stadium | Broadcast (AUS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon Aug 30 | 1.30am | Wolves v Manchester United | Molineux | Optus Sport |
| Sun Sep 12 | 12.00am | Manchester United v Newcastle | Old Trafford | Optus Sport |
| Wed Sep 15 | 2.45am | Young Boys v Manchester United | Stade de Suisse | Stan Sport |
| Sun Sep 19 | 11.00pm | West Ham v Manchester United | London Stadium | Optus Sport |
| Tue Sep 21 | TBD | Manchester United v West Ham | Old Trafford | beIN Sport |
| Sun Sep 26 | 12.00am | Manchester United v Aston Villa | Old Trafford | Optus Sport |
| Thu Sep 30 | 5.00am | Manchester United v Villarreal | Old Trafford | Stan Sport |