SparkChronicles Trusted California News Portal
Cristiano Ronaldo is out of Portugal’s next Nations League games
Star Cristiano Ronaldo will not be available in Portugal for this Sunday’s clash, against Switzerlandfor the fourth round of group 2 of the Uefa Nations League. The striker did not train this Saturday and was cut from the trip to Geneva, where the game will be held.
In addition to the captain, the team will lack veteran João Moutinho and left-back Raphael Guerreiro, who was also absent from training. Last Sunday, Cristiano Ronaldo was decisive when he scored two goals against the Swiss, in a duel valid for the second round of the group stage.
In a press conference, coach Fernando Santos did not attribute Ronaldo’s absence to “physical issues”, but to the rotation with the group. In addition, he confirmed that the side of the Paris Saint-GermainNuno Mendes, will be Guerreiro’s substitute in the match.
“Physical problems are not, it’s a matter of normal group management, which was thought throughout this course and the games we played. It made no sense to travel with 23 players to Switzerland, when only 23 can go on the bench”, commented the coach.
“The lineup will have some news. One I’ve already announced (Ronaldo’s absence). The other is Nuno Mendes, who would already go to this game. There are already two, eventually there will be more. Management has been done over the course of the games,” he said.
After three out of six rounds in the first stage of the competition, Portugal leads group 2 with seven points, ahead of Spain with five. The Czech Republic and Switzerland have four and zero points, respectively.
In their last match for the tournament, the Portuguese team beat the Czech Republic 2-0, in Lisbon.
