Oct 10 (Reuters) – Cristiano Ronaldo has been provisionally suspended by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) after disciplinary proceedings were opened over the forward’s departure from the national team camp, Portuguese media reported on Saturday.
The 41-year-old left the squad’s base in Copenhagen before Portugal’s Nations League match against Denmark last week, after a rift with head coach Jorge Jesus.
Ronaldo, an unused substitute against Norway, accused Jesus of twice breaking his word regarding his role in the team.
After Portugal’s 2-1 win, Jesus denied he had made any agreement with the player but left the door open for his return.
According to Portuguese newspaper A Bola, the FPF confirmed that disciplinary proceedings had been opened against Ronaldo.
“Without prejudice to the automatic preventive suspension to which he was subject until the date of initiation, a non-automatic preventive suspension of the player was determined, and the proceedings were given urgent status,” the federation was quoted as saying.
FPF president Pedro Proenca said everyone within the federation wanted Ronaldo to return to the national team once the matter was resolved.
“The Portuguese Football Federation and its president, in this spirit of tranquility, speaking with all parties, who have already publicly demonstrated their desire to have the captain back with us, there is an expressed wish from everyone,” he was quoted as saying by A Bola.
“This includes the federation, the FPF president, the national team coach, the captain and the players.”
Regarding Ronaldo’s disciplinary process, Proenca added: “That will depend solely on the Disciplinary Committee, which is an autonomous body, and it will do its job.”
Ronaldo apologised on Tuesday for failing to acknowledge supporters after the Norway game and for leaving his teammates, adding that he would remain available for selection after serving any punishment arising from the incident.
(Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond and Ken Ferris)
