A new striking decision from Jesus: the ball is in Ronaldo's court

Will Portugal's attempts to resolve the Don's crisis with minimal losses succeed?

Jorge Jesus has agreed to sit down with Cristiano Ronaldo in a bid to defuse the crisis between the pair. The Portugal coach made the move in response to mediation from the Portuguese Football Federation, who now await the captain's answer on whether he will join the talks.

According to Portuguese newspaper "A Bola", Jesus has signalled his willingness to hold an emergency meeting to bridge the gap with Ronaldo. Everything now hangs on the captain's response, with both sides keen to avoid a sudden end to a historic career spanning more than two decades in the Portugal shirt.

The fallout has spread well beyond the dressing room. Banners have gone up in the streets of Lisbon, laying bare the public anger, and the mood was equally charged when the national team's delegation arrived in Porto.

Jesus has stuck to his technical call, keeping the number 7 on the bench for the clash with Denmark. Even so, the coach knows how vital it is to contain the row and restore stability as quickly as possible after Sunday's match against Norway at the "Dragao" stadium in the UEFA Nations League.

As the Portugal delegation knuckles down to prepare for the game in the north of the country, attention shifts to Madrid, where Ronaldo is staying. He has said nothing since leaving the camp in Copenhagen.

The ball is now in Ronaldo's court. He can answer the calls for dialogue and chase a settlement that ends the dispute, or dig in and risk closing out his long international career in circumstances that fall well short of his stature and everything he has given Portugal over more than 20 years.