vivaronaldo.com

Cristiano Ronaldo left Portugal’s first training session in Switzerland in preparation for the European Championship with ice wrapped around his right ankle Monday.

The winger looked to be fine throughout the session but before he returned to the dressing room, doctors taped the ice around his foot. He was not limping and did not appear to be in pain, but the Portuguese medical team didn’t immediately explain what had happened.

Portugal underwent a light training session a day after arriving in the lakeside town of Neuchatel for its final week of preparation before Saturday’s start of the tournament. The players trained and did a few drills before a short session with the ball at La Maladiere Stadium.

The morning practice session, which was closed to fans, lasted about an hour and a half. The team will also train in the afternoon. Tuesday’s practice was expected to be open to fans and tickets have been sold-out for days.

Newly signed Chelsea defender Jose Bosingwa practised separately from teammates, running around the field and doing specific drills with a trainer.

Portugal, the Euro 2004 finalist, debuts Saturday against Turkey in Geneva. Host Switzerland and the Czech Republic are the other two teams in Group A.

About 5,000 fans greeted players and coaches when they arrived from Portugal on Sunday night, waving Portuguese flags and chanting loudly.

“We knew we would be welcomed in here, but this was beyond our expectations,” Portuguese football federation president Gilberto Madail said. “What we saw was unforgettable, but now we must focus on the work we have ahead of our first game.”

About 10,000 Portuguese fans went to Neuchatel to greet the squad on Sunday, city officials said.

Portugal will be based in Neuchatel at least until the semifinals if it progresses that far.

Under Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, Portugal is coming off successful campaigns in recent top competitions. After losing to Greece on home soil in the Euro 2004 final, Portugal reached the 2006 World Cup semifinals, losing to France.

Portugal beat Georgia 2-0 on Saturday in Viseu in its final warm-up match.

Sir Alex Ferguson believes Manchester United’s American owners would do anything in their power to keep Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford.

Ferguson has spoken to the Glazer family about Real Madrid’s attempt to sign Ronaldo, a transfer saga that has turned increasingly spiteful in recent weeks.

The United boss is furious that Real have so publicly tried to unsettle the Portugal winger. United have even threatened to report Real to FIFA, a move which prompted the Spanish champions to back off, but Ferguson is relieved to hear the Glazers back his hardline stance.

“I’ve had a couple of meetings with the Glazers. Their attitude is, ‘To hell with them’. They’d sit a player in the stand, I’m telling you, absolutely no doubt about it, just to prove a point. Not to give in to these people,” Ferguson said.

“They’ve got balls, I can tell you. I’ve been delighted with them in that respect.

“They’ve been good to this club, believe me. They have been brilliant owners.”

Ronaldo, meanwhile, said that he intends to make a decision on his future in the coming days.

“There’ll be news shortly. I’ll make a decision on my future in two or three days,” the told journalists after Portugual’s 2-0 Euro 2008 warm-up win over Georgia on Saturday night.

The Portuguese star leaves with his national team for Switzerland on Sunday for the European championships which get underway on June 7.