COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (ITALPRESS) — It is no longer a question: there is an issue. Jorge Jesus tried to play down the situation, but Cristiano Ronaldo missed his third consecutive training session with the national team, leaving Parken Stadium in a Federation minibus.
The development was unexpected, given that the coach had assured reporters at his press conference that there was no issue, although he had said that Milan forward Ramos would remain in the starting lineup for tomorrow’s Nations League match against Denmark.
This evening, on social media, CR7 explained: “Following the coach’s press conference and after a conversation with the President of the Football Federation, I decided to leave the national team camp. In due course, I will tell all Portuguese people the reasons that led me to leave the national team, to which I have always given my all. For now, it is time to wish Portugal and all my teammates, without exception, the best of luck,” the footballer concluded.
All the attention surrounding CR7 began after the victory in Norway. Although Jesus had told the player in advance that he would come on during the match, Ronaldo ultimately remained on the bench for the entire game. At the final whistle, he headed straight to the dressing room without celebrating on the pitch with his teammates.
The Federation subsequently played down the missed training session, saying that the striker had left the stadium because the facilities did not have the equipment required for the individual training programme specifically designed for him.
Jesus, who had been Ronaldo’s coach until a few months ago at Al Nassr, where they won the league title together, had tried in every possible way to pour cold water on the situation.
“I know his physical condition inside out, and I know because I used to manage him the same way in Saudi Arabia. When there were matches every three days, he rarely played,” the coach explained. “Furthermore, he never trains on either the first or second day after a match. Do you really think that a player of the level of a national team would refuse to train? Only if he wanted to leave. No one refuses to train.”
The frustration over CR7 being left on the bench had also been played down: “Any player who warms up and then does not come on is unhappy. Whether it’s Cris, Pelé or Maradona. I was forced to talk to Cris about an issue that wasn’t actually an issue. He told me: ‘Coach, I’m here to do whatever you decide. If you want me to play, I’ll play; if you don’t want me to play, I won’t.’”
And yet Federation president Proença had changed his plans, flying to Copenhagen to find out more.
“The president came because, given what was being said, he wanted to know what had happened. But Cris and I had already resolved the issue,” Jesus said briefly, assuring everyone that the striker would train normally today.
That, however, did not happen.
– Photo Ipa Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
