Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Pedro Neto, and Bernardo Silva have exited the Portugal team and gone back to their clubs. This comes after Portugal put on a dominant display against Poland, winning 5-1 in the Nations League on Friday night. Ronaldo, Fernandes, and Neto all found the back of the net against Poland.
Martinez Releases Four Stars From His Squad
The winners of the 2018-19 UEFA Nations League have secured their spot at the top of their group after a strong 5-1 victory against Poland on Friday. Their next match is against Croatia on Monday. Before this final match that would not affect Portugal’s standings, Manager Roberto Martinez announced that Fernandes, Pedro Neto, Ronaldo, and Bernardo Silva would leave the team immediately.
Why Ronaldo, Fernandes, Neto and Silva Have All Been Released
Portugal’s victory over Poland, along with Scotland’s last-minute win against Croatia, guarantees that Portugal will secure the top spot in their Nations League group, regardless of the outcomes in the final matches. They have made it to the quarterfinals of the tournament, set to happen in March. Martinez has decided not to use his key players for the match against Croatia and is looking to try out some different options.
Martinez shared his thoughts on why he decided to let some important players go during the international break. The 51-year-old said he wants to test out new talent and give younger players a chance to shine in the next match. This news is a big win for Premier League teams Manchester City, Manchester United, and Chelsea, as well as Al-Nassr, who will now see their top players return. Ronaldo, Neto, and Silva are taking a break, but Fernandes will be out of the game because of a suspension he received after getting a yellow card in the match against Poland. After the match against Poland, the former Everton manager talked to reporters and said:
“In the first stage, we made six changes from one game to the next. It’s important for us to be first, and we already are. We need to be competitive to add to the group, it’s getting harder and harder to get into the starting eleven. There’s a World Cup finals in 18 months. The game against Croatia is important, we need to look at other players. We’re going to let go of Bernardo Silva, Pedro Neto, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Bruno Fernandes, who is suspended. We’re going to call up Fábio Silva and Quenda for the Under-21s.”
What Next For Ronaldo, Fernandes, Silva and Neto
Ronaldo netted two goals in Friday’s victory and will enjoy a deserved rest before he is back on the pitch for Al-Nassr against Al-Qadisiyah in the Saudi Pro League on November 22. Fernandes coming back early is a big boost for Ruben Amorim, who just started his job at Old Trafford this week. The Red Devils will kick off their first game under the new Portuguese manager with a trip to Ipswich Town on Sunday, November 24.
Neto scored his first Premier League goal for Chelsea in the 1-1 draw against Arsenal. He will be looking to continue his scoring streak when the Blues take on Leicester City on Saturday, November 23. Bernardo Silva hasn’t found the back of the net for Man City this season, and Pep Guardiola must be excited to have him back sooner than expected. Man City will face Tottenham at the Etihad on Saturday, November 23.
Final Thoughts
Fortunately, these players have not had to pull out due to injuries. Looking at the hectic football schedule that has caused more players to get injured, this is good news for the players and their clubs. On the other hand, Fernandes was already suspended for the Croatia game after receiving his third yellow card of the season.
