Portugal boss Jorge Jesus has insisted that Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure from the national team camp will not affect the unity of the squad, as he looks to keep the team focused on their upcoming fixtures.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward announced on Instagram on Wednesday that he had left the training camp after discussions with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proenca.
Ronaldo started during Portugal’s 1-0 win over Wales last Thursday and was on the bench for their 2-1 win over Norway on Sunday, but did not feature.
Portugal returned to action following Ronaldo’s departure with a 4-2 win over Denmark on Thursday, securing a third consecutive victory and keeping them top of Group A4. Jesus is now determined to turn the focus towards their next game against Norway on Sunday.
“I do. There’s nothing that should stop the group from being with me,” Jesus told Sport TV, in quotes reported on Sapo when asked about whether he feels the group is with him after the Ronaldo case.
“I understand the question. The important thing is what we have to do. The things that happen don’t separate the group, they haven’t separated us and they won’t separate us.”
Asked if he would accept Ronaldo back if he wanted to return, Jesus said post-match: “A high-quality victory, with four goals, a top-level performance. It can’t be overlooked, it’s more important than everything that happened.
“That’s what I want to focus on. Returning to Portugal, the people will fight at the Dragao stadium.”