Jorge Jesus bombshell! He reveals secret pact with Cristiano Ronaldo | OneFootball

The Portuguese coach clarified at the press conference that he had agreed in advance with the captain that he would not play against Norway or Denmark.

Portugal manager Jorge Jesus appeared ahead of the crucial UEFA Nations League clash against Denmark to put an end once and for all to the controversy surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo. Accompanied by centre-back Rúben Dias, the Portuguese coach revealed that there had been a physical plan agreed beforehand with the Al Nassr forward to manage his workload. As Jorge Jesus explained, the captain was informed that he would play neither the match against Norway nor the fixture in Copenhagen due to the coach’s thorough knowledge of his physical condition.

Far from fuelling rumours of an internal rebellion, Jorge Jesus firmly defended Cristiano Ronaldo’s professionalism after the player’s visible frustration while warming up without ever stepping onto the pitch. The coach argued that any legend of Cristiano’s stature, like Pelé or Maradona, would be upset in a similar situation after warming up for twenty minutes in vain. He also categorically denied that the forward had refused to train, clarifying that his absences were due to specific strengthening work in the gym.

In a firm tone, Jorge Jesus concluded that the media had tried to create an artificial drama where there had only been normal management of physical workload. The manager compared the situation to Bruno Fernandes’s, reiterating that the rules and planning are identical for all members of the national team. In this way, Portugal aim to turn the page and focus all their energy on securing victory on Danish soil.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.