Spain head coach, Luis de la Fuente has revealed how he would have handled Cristiano Ronaldo’s situation if he were in charge of Portugal.
Ronaldo has found himself embroiled in controversy during this international break after withdrawing from the national team.
De la Fuente addressed the matter during his pre-match press conference ahead of Spain’s UEFA Nations League fixture against Czechia.
When asked about the Ronaldo situation, the Spaniard said: “In my opinion, this is something to be dealt with when it actually happens. After all, as one of my teachers used to say, every situation is unique and must be dealt with according to its nature. Honestly, I don’t know.
“As I said, one can’t give an answer without knowing the truth of what actually happened. And unfortunately, that’s all I can tell you.”
Ronaldo and Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus had a disagreement concerning the playing time allocated to the forward during this international window.
The accomplished striker was relegated to the bench without making an appearance for the first time since 2008, and he expressed dissatisfaction with the arrangement.
He departed the national team’s training facility in Copenhagen and released a formal statement communicating his decision, indicating his intention to provide further clarification regarding the circumstances at a later time.
He was unavailable for the 4-2 victory over Denmark and will similarly be absent for the subsequent encounter against Norway next week.
Portugal: How I would have handled Cristiano Ronaldo’s situation – Spain coach, De la Fuente