Hard blow for Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal a few days after the match against Morocco

The Portuguese soccer players Nuno Mendes and Danilo Pereira left the concentration of their team this Thursday, December 8 due to injury, so they will not be with their teammates to live this Saturday the quarterfinals of the World Cup in Qatar against Morocco, as reported by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF).

“The left back Nuno Mendes and the center back Danilo Pereira they will continue with their respective recovery plans from their injuries at PSG”, the federative entity announced in a statement, confirming the departure of both footballers.

Pereira, who played the Portuguese debut in Qatar against Ghana, he fractured three ribs in training, being replaced in the ‘eleven’ by the veteran Pepe. Mendes already arrived ‘touched’ at the concentration and in the match against Uruguay he confirmed his left thigh injury before the break, giving entry to Raphael Guerreiro.

Portugal, which overwhelmed Switzerland (6-1) in the round of 16, faces the revelation Morocco this Saturday in the quarterfinalsa round that the Africans step on for the first time in their history.

On the other hand, the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) denied this Thursday that Cristiano Ronaldo threatened to leave the team after being a substitute in the resounding victory for his team against Switzerland (6-1) in the round of 16 of the World Cup in Qatar.

“A piece of news published this Thursday reports that Cristiano Ronaldo threatened to leave the national team during a conversation with Fernando Santos”, the coach, said the FPF in a statement.

“The FPF specifies that at no time did the captain of the national team, Cristiano Ronaldo, threaten to leave the national team during the competition in Qatar,” the federation added.

The FPF’s denial comes in response to an article in the Portuguese sports newspaper Record, who writes this Thursday that “Cristiano Ronaldo threatened to leave.”

According to Record, the player reportedly had a heated exchange with his coach after learning that he would start the match against Switzerland on the bench, which would have led him to say he would leave the national team, before changing his mind and calming down.

“Cristiano Ronaldo builds a unique record every day at the service of the national team and the country, that must be respected and that demonstrates a degree of indisputable commitment to the selection. Thus, the degree of commitment of the most successful player in the history of Portugal was even more demonstrated – if possible – in the victory against Switzerland, in the round of 16 of the World Cup”, indicated the FPF.

Against Switzerland, Ronaldo came off the bench, something that had not happened to him since 2008 with his team. He entered in the 75th minute of play without any repercussions. At the end of the game, he briefly greeted the Portuguese fans and quickly made his way to the locker room.

After the game, Ronaldo received the support of his relatives and, in particular, his partner Georgina Rodríguez.

“While the 11 players sang the anthem, all the targets were set on you. It’s a shame not to have been able to enjoy the best player in the world during the 90 minutes. The fans did not stop claiming you and shouting your name,” he wrote on Instagram.

*With information from Europa Press and AFP.