Jesus's conditions obstruct Ronaldo's return: a decisive meeting everyone is waiting for!
A new development
The crisis between Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and his compatriot Jorge Jesus, the head coach of the Portuguese national team, is growing more complicated. A return to the squad for the Al Nassr captain looks difficult at present, with the coach refusing to shift on the conditions that sparked the dispute in the first place, even though he wants the veteran star back for the upcoming fixtures.
Saudi newspaper "Arriyadiyah" revealed, citing a source close to Jesus, that the coach wants Ronaldo back but won't budge on the rules he has set. Ending the crisis therefore hinges on both sides reaching a mutual understanding.
That same source dismissed any suggestion the row threatens Jesus's position, insisting the circulating reports about a possible departure over the crisis do not reflect the current situation.
The Portuguese federation president steps in: will he succeed in ending the crisis?
Attempts to contain the dispute rumble on. Pedro Proenca, the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, is trying to arrange a meeting between Ronaldo and Jesus to bring their views closer together and settle matters before the next international break. Nobody has yet agreed to sit down, which leaves the future of the relationship between the two sides wide open.
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It all started during the Portugal v Norway encounter last September, when Ronaldo sat on the substitutes' bench for the full 90 minutes despite completing his warm-up routines. Tensions then escalated when Jesus announced he would not start him against Denmark, prompting the national team captain to leave the camp before the match. The move stirred wide controversy within Portuguese sporting circles.
Ronaldo accuses Jesus of not honouring his promises
Ronaldo later issued a statement apologising to the fans and his teammates for walking out of the camp, but he also revealed a dispute over two agreements he said had been made between him and the coach. The first concerned giving him around 30 minutes of playing time against Norway. The second related to clarifying his position during the press conference that preceded the Denmark match. He stressed his readiness to bear the consequences of his decision, while leaving the door open to a return to the national team.
Jesus, for his part, insisted that he needs Ronaldo within the national team, whether he plays in the matches or not, stressing that his return is also linked to the player's own desire. Proenca described the crisis as a "misunderstanding" that should be resolved within the national team's corridors, expressing his hope of bringing back the Portugal captain during the upcoming November gathering.
Caught between Jesus's insistence on his conditions and the Portuguese federation's desire to end the dispute, Ronaldo's return now depends on whether the parties concerned can find a formula that preserves both the coach's position and the standing of the national team captain. No final agreement has been announced. That leaves the participation of the Al Nassr star in the next gathering a matter of anticipation, pending the outcome of the mediation efforts in the coming days.
