Portugal coach Roberto Martínez refused to confirm whether Cristiano Ronaldo he will retain his starting position on Tuesday FIFA World Cup against Uzbekistan, following the champion’s defeat in the team’s opening match.“I can’t tell you about the starting 11 because I haven’t told my players,” Martínez said on Monday when asked if Ronaldo would remain in the lineup.The 41-year-old did not find the back of the net in Portugal’s 1-1 draw with Congo, a game in which he had little energy and missed many chances in the second half. His performance quickly became the talk of the town, with pundits and social media users questioning how he finished and why he wasn’t substituted as Portugal looked for a breakthrough.
Martínez defends team amid “noise and controversy”
Martínez, however, rejected the idea that external criticism affects the team, insisting that such pressure is part of the culture of the World Cup.“We’re playing the World Cup, so we have a lot of noise and a lot of controversy, but that’s part of the game,” he said. “The focus is on the team and we want to show a good attitude … be ready for the game. We are focused. We are strong. The team is more united than ever.”Although he did not speak directly to Ronaldo, the Portuguese coach also rejected the public criticism.“Some of the criticisms are ‘unfair, unfair,'” he added.Ronaldo, who did not speak to the media after the match, later wrote on social media: “It wasn’t the start we wanted, but this is far from it. He followed it up with pictures from training accompanied by the words: “Staying on the job.”
Ronaldo’s role is under scrutiny ahead of the big debate
Although he only registered 25 touches in the first half, Ronaldo is still at the center of the Portuguese intellectual discussion. Martínez insisted that the former player still brings value in the final third.“Cristiano is the best to do this,” he said. “The statistics support this about this great player who is Cristiano Ronaldo. If you look at the last 32 games, he is the player with the extra moves, opening up space and getting the sacks.”Uzbekistan coach Fabio Cannavaro, meanwhile, warned not to underestimate the Portuguese captain despite his quiet start.“We have to be careful when we’re in the box because we can’t leave this type of player alone,” Cannavaro said. “We have to focus on him because Cristiano can score in any situation, free kicks, even from a corner. So we have to be very careful.”
