Cristiano Ronaldo Trains Separately From Portugal Squad
The Portugal captain did not train with the rest of the team and returned to the hotel for an individual session, just days after spending the entire victory over Norway on the bench.
The situation surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo is beginning to raise questions around the Portugal national team. After spending all 90 minutes on the bench during the 2-1 victory over Norway, the 41-year-old forward was once again in the spotlight off the field after missing the group training session ahead of the match against Denmark in the UEFA Nations League.
Cristiano was present before the start of the session. However, he did not train alongside the rest of his teammates. Before leaving, he held a conversation with Jorge Jesus and later returned to the team hotel, where he completed an individual gym session.
João Félix and Francisco Conceição also did not train with the group, meaning Cristiano Ronaldo was not the only absentee during Portugal's session.
Norway Bench Role Raises Questions
The latest development comes just days after an unusual situation involving Cristiano Ronaldo. As we reported following the match against Norway, the captain remained on the bench for an entire competitive Portugal match despite being available for the first time in more than 18 years.
Jorge Jesus explained after the game that he initially planned to use him during the final half-hour but ultimately decided to keep Gonçalo Ramos on the field because of how the match was developing. The striker had scored the winning goal and also had another effort ruled out for offside.
The decision inevitably placed the spotlight on the relationship between Cristiano Ronaldo and Jorge Jesus, especially after the forward also trained separately from his teammates in the following session. Some Portuguese media outlets have reported possible frustration from the captain, although there has been no official confirmation of any conflict between the two.
Jorge Jesus himself has denied that there is any problem with Cristiano and maintained that decisions over who plays are made by the coaching staff.
Portugal Prepares for Trip to Denmark
Attention now turns to Portugal's next match, as it visits Denmark on Thursday in Matchday 3 of Group A4 of the UEFA Nations League.
Cristiano Ronaldo's availability will be one of the main talking points ahead of the match. After spending the entire game against Norway on the bench and subsequently training separately from the group, all eyes will be on Jorge Jesus' decision regarding his captain's role against the Danes.
Cristiano Ronaldo in the Spotlight Ahead of Denmark Match
- Cristiano Ronaldo did not train with the Portugal squad and completed an individual session at the team hotel.
- The development comes just days after he spent all 90 minutes on the bench during the 2-1 victory over Norway.
- Jorge Jesus has denied any conflict with his captain ahead of the UEFA Nations League match against Denmark.
