Suspended vs Favorite Victim After Hitting Rival on Face, Cristiano Ronaldo Reached Out After Realizing His Mistake

Portugal led 1-0 against Slovakia in the Euro Qualifiers. To double the lead for the Os Navegadores, Cristiano Ronaldo came knocking at the door of the Slovakian keeper. The Portuguese, however, miskicked the ball and made a rather contentious challenge. While doing so, he caught Martin Dubravka with a stray foot. In its immediate aftermath, Ronaldo made it a point to reach out to his former teammate.

Cristiano Ronaldo will face time out in his next international fixture against Luxembourg, his favorite victim against whom he boasts the most international goals (eleven). Meanwhile, in a post-match interview, Martin Dubravka shed light on what exactly transpired between the two.

Ronaldo apologizes and is fortunate to only receive a yellow card

Martin Dubravka, former Manchester United goalkeeper, was at the receiving end of a horror tackle from former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo. The Slovakian luckily escaped with a minor injury but the outcome could have been far more serious. The Newcastle United goalkeeper, nevertheless, believes that these incidents are all just a part of the sport.

As per Chroniclelive, the Slovakian international said, “It’s sport, it’s football. Situations like this belong to it. Of course, he realized he hit me. He asked me if I was OK. I take it sportingly.”

Dubravka also stated that he closed his eyes while rushing to save the shot. He confirms that he was hurt in the neck, shoulder, and chest.

CR7 is fortunate that he only left the field with a yellow card but the booing from the crowd reflected that the Slovakian supporters, just like many at home, were hoping for a red instead.

Read more – “Difficult to Watch This Version of Cristiano Ronaldo” – Portuguese Superstar Torn to Shreds After Firing Blank and Getting Suspended Against Favorite Victims

It can be a blessing in disguise for Roberto Martinez’s side who do not look sharp in the frontline. It was Bruno Fernandes’ goal that saved the day for Portugal. With a lack of goals in their recent fixtures, there’s a need to focus on bringing a different goal scorer.

The replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo in the frontline

Cristiano Ronaldo missed two big chances during his run against Slovakia. The 5x Ballon d’Or winner took six shots during the match out of which three were off target. Roberto Martinez has previously stated that players like Pepe and Ronaldo are a part of the team because of the experience they hold.

Goncalo Ramos and Joao Felix are two big names who can lead the frontline in Ronaldo’s absence. The swiftness and agility they possess might just be the change the Portugal team yearns for. With Ronaldo out, it will be interesting to see who Martinez chooses as his replacement.

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