Cristiano Ronaldo Out Of Portugal’s Friendly Against Greece Ahead Of World Cup
Cristiano Ronaldo will miss out on Portugal’s friendly against Greece in Lisbon this coming Saturday in preparation for the World Cup next month.
The Portuguese captain — who only joined his squad on Thursday — is hoping to recover from a nagging injury so he can be as close to 100 percent as possible to participate in the “Group of Death” which also includes Germany, Ghana, and the US.
It was a long, hard fought season for Cristiano Ronaldo, who reached many milestones including winning the coveted Ballon d’Or, which had eluded them for four years, taking the Copa del Rey title for Real Madrid, and last week winning “La Decima” for “Los Blancos”, beating Atletico Madrid 4-1 in front of his hometown fans.
In order to be ready for the grueling matches of the World Cup, which begins on June 12, Ronaldo will need lots of rest to recover from the regular season. Portugal’s manager, Paulo Bento, said he will not risk his captain against Greece.
¿@Ronaldo se queda afuera del Mundial por lesión?http://t.co/RuOXTbgBEQ pic.twitter.com/pJUyFMQhaK
— Pedro Botero P (@buho_botero) May 30, 2014
Bento added that Cristiano Ronaldo will receive special medical attention in order to get him fit for Portugal’s debut on June 16 against the always dangerous Germany.
According to a report from ITV, Bento is very concerned about Ronaldo’s swollen knee. The forward played in the UEFA Champions League last Saturday despite an injury, which has resulted in very swollen tendons in his left knee.
The Portuguese manager insists Ronaldo will go to Brazil with his team, but will be treated by the team’s trainers during practices.
Cristiano Ronaldo might MISS the World Cup. He has severe inflammation in a tendon in his left leg. (El Pais) pic.twitter.com/4FK1zJKF0n
— WeAreMadrid10 (@WeAreMadrid10) May 30, 2014
Some on social media are speculating that Ronaldo could miss the World Cup altogether, but there has been no hint from the team that there is such a possibility.
On set with @Cristiano pic.twitter.com/5IRh6JVDl5
— Brandon (@Brands__LDN) May 30, 2014
If Ronaldo recovers from his injury in time to play in the World Cup, Portugal is more than capable of facing the Germans. Cristiano and his teammates have a lot to prove, as of their last four encounters between both countries, Portugal has lost three times.
Ronaldo — who has never won a World Cup — fittingly said, “It would be good if we didn’t have to play them.”
[Image via Rui Alexandre Araujo / Shutterstock.com]
