Portugal’s coach gives Ronaldo a break after intense season with Al Nassr

Portugal is gearing up for a friendly match against Sweden at the Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques in Guimaraes this Friday. This game comes ahead of their Euro 2024 campaign starting in June. Portugal finds itself in Group F, a challenging assembly that includes the Czech Republic, Turkey, and one among Georgia, Luxembourg, Greece, and Kazakhstan. A significant development surrounding this match is the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal’s captain and all-time top scorer.

The decision to leave Ronaldo out of the squad for the upcoming game was taken by Portugal’s coach, Roberto Martinez. Ronaldo joins other notable players such as Diogo Dalot, Joao Cancelo, Danilo Pereira, Otavio, Ruben Neves, Vitinha, and Joao Felix, who have also been sidelined for this match.

Why is Ronaldo not playing, you might wonder? According to Coach Martinez, the motive behind Ronaldo’s exclusion is to afford him some rest following a demanding season in the Saudi Pro League with his club, Al Nassr. Ronaldo’s performance has been stellar with Al Nassr, where he scored 30 goals and provided 11 assists across 30 appearances this season. His contribution was crucial in Al Nassr’s recent victory over Al-Ahli Saudi, netting the winner from the penalty spot. Currently, Al Nassr stands second in the league, trailing the leader Al-Hilal by 12 points.

However, fans might not miss Ronaldo for too long, as Martinez hinted at Ronaldo’s possible return for Portugal’s second friendly against Slovenia on March 27. This respite could serve Ronaldo well, preserving his energy and form for the forthcoming European Championship. Portugal, having clinched the Euro title in 2016, is keen on replicating their success in Euro 2024. Ronaldo, with his remarkable record of 128 goals and 46 assists in 205 appearances for Portugal, will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in their campaign.

The upcoming match against Sweden thus serves as a platform for Portugal to fine-tune its squad, testing strategies and player combinations in Ronaldo’s absence. As Portugal prepares to embark on its Euro 2024 journey, beginning its quest against the Czech Republic on June 19 at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, the focus remains on building a team capable of conquering Europe once again.