Premier League - Ronaldo unhurt in Ferrari crash

Eurosport - Fri, 09 Jan 09:13:00 2009

Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo walked away unscathed despite writing off his £200,000 Ferrari 599 GTP Fiorano in a spectacular car crash near Manchester airport.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Premier League Manchester United Cristiano Ronaldo car wreck - 0

His luxury sports car's front end was smashed to pieces and it lost a wheel as he collided with a roadside barrier while driving to training, the morning after a disappointing defeat for his team.

Ronaldo's team-mate Edwin van der Sar, United's goakeeper, was following in his Bentley at the time of the crash but was not involved in the collision, said police.

Skid marks were clearly visible leading up to the crash scene, and a photographer who arrived shortly afterwards described the 23-year-old Portugal winger's bright-red car as a "terrible mess."

But Greater Manchester Police said no one had been injured.

"Officers attended and discovered a Ferrari had collided with a barrier," a statement said. "No one is believed to have been injured."

Witness Jody Lomax was driving behind Ronaldo when the collision occurred.

"The Ferrari went straight into the wall, his front left-hand wheel came off and then Ronaldo got out of the car," he said, according to the BBC.

"I was shocked. Anyway he was all right, he was walking - he was a bit shaken... Obviously I was stunned at seeing a Ferrari go in the wall and seeing Ronaldo."

A spokeswoman for United said Ronaldo, the World Player of the Year, had not required treatment for shock or any other injuries and would be fit to play in Sunday's Premier League showdown with Chelsea.

"Cristiano is fine," the spokeswoman said. "It was on his way to training. He did not receive any treatment. He has trained this morning with the team and is OK."

Police officer Nigel Snell said that, given the damage to the car, it was "fortunate" that Ronaldo was not injured.

"We are trying to establish exactly what happened and I would appeal to anyone that may have witnessed the collision to contact police," he said.

Ronaldo played as a second-half substitute in United's 1-0 defeat away to Derby County in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final on Wednesday.

Barring any delayed reaction to the crash, he will be back in the starting line-up for Sunday's match at Old Trafford as United seek to overcome one of their major rivals in the battle to retain the Premier League trophy.

AFP

Comment 422 - 441 of 481

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  1. Ronaldo shmaldo, the guy is walking at the end of the season, he's not the most popular epl star globally, Torres is - and its easy to see why, not so flash.

    From TIM, on Thu 8 Jan 10:31PM

  2. RANALDAY DISINAY GAV A @#$% WAT PAPALS THONK

    From dannysbac, on Thu 8 Jan 10:27PM

  3. o poor ronaldo..........people really dislikes u. u too stop being too arrogant and u will enjoy ur football.just imagine,,,,someone said dis time around.u cheated death,r u dt bad....

    From nnamdi, on Thu 8 Jan 10:13PM

  4. they axcert that message but not the last one

    From markwinstanley07, on Thu 8 Jan 10:10PM

  5. invalid comment? carnt say anything about manushited

    From markwinstanley07, on Thu 8 Jan 10:08PM

  6. cnt believe he got straight out of that car he goes down like hes been shot if a defender even breathes near him

    From darren s, on Thu 8 Jan 10:04PM

  7. I WROTE AF A WEGON WANCE

    From dannysbac, on Thu 8 Jan 10:03PM

  8. Serves him right. What a jackass.

    From sappercommando25, on Thu 8 Jan 10:01PM

  9. James Sowden, have you ever crashed a car or made a mistake. He is only human if you had not got that in your brain. He was born and grew up, human, just like you. Nobody knows exactly what happened and people who say these things are worse people than what you think he is. You should be ashamed, it is sick

    From Ellen, on Thu 8 Jan 9:53PM

  10. i never red so much garbage in my life at end of day he is still a human being wish most of u would just grow up and get a life

    From diablobaddude2008, on Thu 8 Jan 9:47PM

  11. get a life you bunch of prats ronaldo was luckly it was just the car and his pride

    From suzanne.adams6, on Thu 8 Jan 9:45PM

  12. George Cool, so you do nasty things ey? I don't. I might do naughty things, bad things, wrong things, but not nasty things, you nasty nasty boy..

    From Half A Brain, on Thu 8 Jan 9:44PM

  13. PaulHarman, u are a sick man, how can u say he can cheat death too. Yeah he has been known to cheat and that but how can u say that. Also how can people say they wish he had died, he is a human being and does not deserve to die. I am a Boro fan and not particularly keen what Ronaldo did at world cup with rooney but he is a class player and for him to leave premiership would be a travesty. To me you all seem jealous that he doesnt play for your team. I am 18 and seem a lot more mature than you who are most probably older. Ronaldo cheated against boro with the penalty remember. But why should I hate a man and wish him to die from a car crash. just watch him when he not cheating, he is pure class and we should wanna watch him week in week out.

    From Ellen, on Thu 8 Jan 9:39PM

  14. get a life you freaks and don't crash your punny ford focus 1.1

    From Melanie, on Thu 8 Jan 9:38PM

  15. We all do nasty things, why is he different? let the authority do their job. you may be in his shoe tomorrow

    From George Cool, on Thu 8 Jan 9:35PM

  16. Hope they take his drivers license. A fine for speeding won't bother him..

    From sjoerdveer, on Thu 8 Jan 9:23PM

  17. I understand he is blaming the accident on the wall not being at least 10 yards back!

    From paul1stevenson, on Thu 8 Jan 9:20PM

  18. All the innocent people he could have killed.
    Thank god he didnt.
    Please take him off the road before he does some real damage.
    How many people will have to die before ye Manc fans actually admit he has done something wrong.

    From MICHAEL M, on Thu 8 Jan 9:06PM

  19. RANALDAY COUPED HES WEGON

    From dannysbac, on Thu 8 Jan 9:04PM

  20. RANALDAY COUPED HES WEGON

    From dannysbac, on Thu 8 Jan 8:59PM
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