The Disciplinary Committee of the Portuguese Football Federation has launched a disciplinary investigation into Cristiano Ronaldo for leaving the national team camp. The committee has issued a 20-day temporary suspension for the star footballer until the process is completed.
Ronaldo's departure from the camp in Copenhagen ahead of the match against Denmark had sparked controversy in Portuguese football. It is alleged that the experienced player remained on the bench despite being told he would be given playing time in the Norway match, leading to tension with head coach Jorge Jesus.
Ronaldo, who left the camp on September 30, later apologized to his team, his teammates, and the people of Portugal in a statement on his social media account. Stating that he is ready to return to the national team, Ronaldo expressed that he takes responsibility for his decision and will face the consequences of the disciplinary process.
In its statement, the Disciplinary Committee announced that an investigation had been opened to determine whether the events reported on October 7 regarding Ronaldo have disciplinary consequences. It was stated that the file has been classified as "urgent" and a preventive suspension measure has been applied to the player.
According to reports in the Portuguese press, the process was initiated following two separate complaints, one from the federation management and the other from third parties outside the federation. It was reported that Ronaldo's temporary suspension was issued under Article 40-A, paragraph 2 of the Federation's Disciplinary Regulations.
The 20-day suspension is expected to end on October 30. This timeline leaves open the possibility for Ronaldo to return to the squad for the national matches planned for November. However, it is noted that at the end of the disciplinary file, there is a risk of an additional suspension of one to six months beyond the preventive measure.
In Ronaldo's absence, Portugal, under the management of Jorge Jesus, won all four matches played in the Nations League and advanced to the next stage. Portugal also climbed back to fifth place in the world rankings, while Brazil dropped to sixth.
News Source: 12punto
