Portugal: Roberto Martinez comes to Cristiano Ronaldo’s aid after his sending-off in Ireland
Portugal’s national team coach defended his captain, sent off for the first time in the national team after an elbow penalized by VAR during the defeat to Ireland. Roberto Martinez believes Cristiano Ronaldo simply tried to free himself from the defenders’ pressure.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez reacted to the sending-off of his captain Cristiano Ronaldo during the World Cup qualifying match against the Republic of Ireland. On Thursday in Dublin, Portugal lost 2-0 and finished the match with ten men after Ronaldo received a red card. The 40-year-old forward was dismissed for an elbow to Irish defender Dara O’Shea, following a tussle between the two players.
Initially shown a yellow, Ronaldo was ultimately sent off after VAR intervention, with referee Glenn Nyberg reviewing the footage and upgrading the sanction. The Portuguese captain will therefore miss the final qualifying match against Armenia on Sunday.
In the post-match press conference, Roberto Martinez defended his player, saying Ronaldo’s action must be seen in the context of the constant pressure applied to him in the box. “For a player like Cristiano, it’s very difficult to operate in the box,” the coach explained. “He was being constantly held by defenders. There was no violent intent: he simply tried to get away.”
Martinez also regretted the interpretation of the images: “He wasn’t lucky. I think some angles make the situation look worse than it really is. It’s his first red card for the national team, it’s incredible.”
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