Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after lacking a scoring probability in the course of the Euro 2024 Spherical of 16 match towards Slovenia in Frankfurt. — Reuters
Cristiano Ronaldo is in peril of lacking at the least Portugal’s opening match at subsequent yr’s World Cup after being proven a pink card in Thursday’s 2-0 loss to the Republic of Eire.
Ronaldo was initially proven a yellow card after elbowing Eire defender Dara O’Shea in the course of the match in Dublin.Â
Nonetheless, it was upgraded to a pink card, and Ronaldo was despatched off for the primary time in his worldwide profession after the referee reviewed the contact on a pitch-side video monitor.
“When he tries to get away from the defender, I think the action looks worse than what it actually is,” Portugal coach Roberto Martinez stated. “I don’t think it’s an elbow, I think it’s a full body. But from where the camera is, it looks like an elbow. We accept it.Â
It could be a red card, but for the right reasons.”
Ronaldo will serve his necessary one-game suspension when Portugal performs host to Armenia on Sunday. Portugal, which nonetheless leads Hungary by two factors in Group F, can clinch a spot in subsequent yr’s World Cup with a victory.
Nonetheless, FIFA disciplinary guidelines state {that a} ban of at the least two matches is required for “serious foul play” and for at the least three matches for “violent conduct,” or for “an appropriate period of time for assault, including elbowing.”
Pre-World Cup exhibitions wouldn’t rely in direction of serving a possible match ban, and it may very well be three weeks earlier than FIFA points a verdict.
It’s the first pink card Ronaldo has obtained within the document 226 video games he has performed for Portugal.
“He is just a captain that has never been sent off before in 226 games,” Martinez stated. “I think it was a bit harsh because he cares about the team.”
Ronaldo is searching for to succeed in his sixth World Cup.
