Speaking at a pre-match press conference at Dragao Stadium in Porto on 15/11/2024, Bruno Fernandes stated, "That was a moment when Cristiano had a reaction that cost him. He knew he didn't want to do that, but it happened. He knows he made a mistake and regrettably cannot help us tomorrow. At that point, we were already struggling, but things became even harder playing with 10 men and missing one player who could score at any time."

Bruno Fernandes at the pre-match press conference for Portugal's match against Armenia in the final round of the European 2026 World Cup qualifiers Group F at Dragao Stadium, Porto, Portugal on 15/11/2024. *EFE*

The incident occurred on the evening of 13/11/2024 in Dublin, where Portugal's performance against Ireland was stagnant, allowing their opponents to take a 0-2 lead in the first half. Ronaldo's direct red card early in the second half extinguished the visitors' hopes of securing any points. This marked the first time in 30 years that Portugal lost to Ireland in an official match, since the Euro qualifiers in 1995.

Fernandes admitted, "The match did not unfold as we wished. We created few chances; our build-up play was too slow and ineffective. We need to be quicker and more precise. Such situations are part of Portuguese football, where emotions in the game take over and positive results are not achieved." The Man Utd midfielder asserted that the national team's goal is always victory, regardless of the opponent's strength, and the World Cup dream remains present. He emphasized that to secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup, Portugal must focus on winning the match against Armenia, as everything else will follow.

Meanwhile, coach Roberto Martinez continued to defend Ronaldo, suggesting the Portuguese forward's reaction stemmed from provocation by opponents from the start of the match and also during the previous day's press conference. He stressed that this was not an act of violence and did not warrant a lengthy suspension. Martinez also confirmed Ronaldo's early departure from the national team's training camp to return to Al Nassr. The 52-year-old coach stated, "When a player is injured or suspended, he is not with the team. His mind is not focused on the match. We operate that way. Questions about Ronaldo's presence or absence are disrespectful to other players. He is suspended and cannot be present; that's how we function."

The loss to Ireland meant Portugal missed an early opportunity to secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup. Portugal will face Armenia at 9 PM on 16/11/2024, Hanoi time. They still lead Group F with 10 points and a +5 goal difference, while second-placed Hungary has 8 points and a +2 goal difference. If Roberto Martinez's squad draws with Armenia today in the final round, they will still qualify for the World Cup, provided Hungary does not defeat Ireland by more than two goals.

By Hong Duy (Source: Abola)