Postcard from Brazil
Is Cristiano Ronaldo Out for Portugal’s Match with U.S.?
Jozy Altidore has a hamstring pressure and will miss Sunday’s match, however considerations about his standing pale compared to the personnel issues going through Portugal. And sure: Cristiano Ronaldo is rumored to be out.
BY
John Godfrey
Posted
June 18, 2014
4:41 PM
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SAO PAOLO—A light-weight drizzle is beginning to fall on this huge metropolis, remodeling the already-overcast skies right into a barely darker shade of grey.
If this degree of precipitation represents the quantity of dangerous information that the U.S. acquired in its 2-1 victory over Ghana—Jozy Altidore injured his hamstring and should miss the sport; Clint Dempsey suffered a damaged nostril and certain can be hampered—Portugal is going through the meteorological equal of a monsoon.
Let’s take them in chronological order, we could?
twenty eighth Minute: Hugo Almeida—Out
The Portuguese ahead with the Brooklyn hipster mustache, Almeida is often the second participant talked about when soccer aficionados insist that Portugal has extra scoring threats than a sure Ballon d’Or winner. (Nani, a disappointment of late, is commonly the primary.)
And it is true—Almeida is a official menace. Or relatively, he was. The burly 30-year-old striker, who has 19 targets in 56 worldwide appearances for Portugal, pulled up lame within the twenty eighth minute of his workforce’s humiliating 4-0 loss to Germany. In line with a workforce physician, Almeida’s hamstring damage will price him a minimal of 10 days, which suggests he can be on the sidelines for the U.S. match and in opposition to Ghana 4 days afterward.
Helder Postiga, who performs his membership soccer for Lazio, is a 31-year-old veteran and the doubtless substitute. Eder, 21, who has made simply 9 appearances for Portugal, may additionally see some motion.
thirty seventh Minute: Pepe—Out
Generally a status for being a hothead is totally justified. For Pepe, the six-foot-two central defender who performs his membership soccer for Actual Madrid, it completely is.
In 2009 he earned a 10-game ban for pushing Getafe’s Francisco Casquero to the bottom after which kicking him.
In 2011 he was despatched off in a Champions League semifinal in opposition to Barcelona.
A yr later he stomped on Lionel Messi in a Actual Madrid-Barcelona conflict.
In opposition to Germany, Pepe swung his arm towards German striker Thomas Muller, and made contact. Muller fell to the bottom in a heap, clearly embellishing his agony. And Pepe took exception.
He leaned over the German star and clearly headbutted Muller. The ref noticed it. The purple card got here out. And Pepe is predicted to overlook a number of video games for his violent outburst.
The person who changed Pepe, Ricardo Costa, is smaller, older, and much much less fearsome. Clint Dempsey, Aron Johannsson, and the remainder of the American strike pressure can be OK with that.
sixty fifth Minute: Fabio Coentrao—Out
The Actual Madrid left again, seen right here working earlier than he was stretchered off in opposition to Germany, is one other large loss for Portugal.
In line with the Portuguese soccer federation, the 26-year0old suffered a second-degree pressure on the adductor muscle in his proper thigh. A press launch confirmed the dangerous information: “Due to the severity of the injury, he will be unfit for competitive football for a period which extends beyond the duration of the World Cup.”
Andre Almeida, a 21-year-old with simply six worldwide appearances to his title, changed the wily Coentrao. It is one other large drop-off for the Portuguese.
Portugal Coaching: Cristiano Ronaldo…?
Let’s be clear about one thing: Cristiano Ronaldo may nonetheless play for Portugal on Sunday. He would possibly rating 5 targets in opposition to the USA. And he may go on to win the 2014 Golden Boot award.
But it surely would not look good.
The Every day Mail, not precisely probably the most dependable information outlet on the planet, has some wonderful photographs from Portugal’s coaching as we speak.
Do they recommend that Ronaldo is nursing a left knee damage? Completely.
Do they verify that the Actual Madrid celebrity will miss Sunday’s match in opposition to the USA? Not even a bit.
Gamers ice physique elements all the time, and images may be cropped and captioned to say absolutely anything. Do not learn an excessive amount of into the rumors about Ronaldo’s demise. However it’s value stating that he will not be at 100% if he does make the beginning lineup. That in itself is nice information for the Stars and Stripes.
The most recent hubub about Ronaldo’s distressed left knee tendon is that his private doctor has chimed in on the subject: Enjoying on it may trigger Ronaldo everlasting harm, in accordance with numerous experiences, thus jeopardizing Ronaldo’s (very profitable) profession. Is it true? Did he actually say that? I do not know. But it surely actually makes issues attention-grabbing throughout this six-day lull between U.S. matches. Within the media room down right here in Sao Paolo, everyone was discussing the opportunity of a Ronaldo-less match, whether or not it might give the Individuals an excessive amount of confidence forward of the sport, and what the most recent developments had been.
Generally it rains, typically it pours. However typically it is barely a drizzle.
What do you make of Portugal’s personnel woes? Pleased about it? Disillusioned? Confused like the remainder of us? Give us your take within the Feedback beneath.
John Godfrey is the founder and editor in chief of American Soccer Now.
