"There's no need to make a soap opera around him" - Bruno Fernandes comments about Cristiano Ronaldo's 'frustration' after Portugal's loss against Spain in the UEFA Nations League
Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes has supported his teammate Cristiano Ronaldo following their defeat against Spain in the UEFA Nations League. Alvaro Morata's 88th-minute strike was enough to seal a win for Spain.
La Roja's 1-0 victory saw them advance to the Nations League finals, scheduled to be held next year. Croatia, The Netherlands, and Italy are the other three teams to have made it to the finals.
Ronaldo was wasteful in front of goal, missing big opportunities to give Portugal the lead and later equalize. He managed just 30 touches of the ball throughout the match and was visibly frustrated due to a lack of supply.
There is absolutely zero explanation for Cristiano Ronaldo to still be a starter for Portugal in 2022. Not when there's Rafael Leão, Pedro Neto, João Félix and so many other talented players waiting in the wings. Another anonymous performance from him today.
After the match, Bruno was quizzed about his captain's frustration. He tried to play down Ronaldo's reactions, linking it with his lack of goals this season.
"Cristiano is here to help and will continue to help. It's ok. Frustration is normal, he wants to win and score goals. There's no need to make a soap opera around him. The goals will appear, they are phases. Have more peace of mind," the Manchester United midfielder told the media after the match (via OJogo).
Cristiano Ronaldo has made a disastrous start to the new season
Cristiano Ronaldo has had a disastrous few months. The Portuguese talisman has started just one Premier League match for Manchester United this season, which resulted in a 4-0 defeat to Brentford.
He has only started United's two Europa League matches since the Brentford debacle as Erik ten Hag prefers other attackers in the league. For the Red Devils, he has scored just one goal in eight matches this season. His only strike came against FC Sheriff from the penalty spot.
Fernando Santos:
"What interests me is the way the team plays. Ronaldo had three or four chances, two of which are good and who usually scores them. He didn't score, it's football, usually we wait for that to happen." https://t.co/dcnYBXmZac
He wasn't able to score for Portugal in the recent international break as well. He drew a blank in both of Selecao's matches in the Nations League - against the Czech Republic and Spain.
With the FIFA World Cup fast approaching, Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo fans will hope that the superstar returns to form soon.
The former Real Madrid forward will next be in action when Manchester United take on Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday, October 2.