Portugal coach: 'Camera angle makes Ronaldo look bad'

Coach Roberto Martinez confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo received an unfair red card after Portugal's 0-2 defeat to the Republic of Ireland in the early morning of November 14.

Close-up of Ronaldo's elbow jerk. In the early morning of November 14, Cristiano Ronaldo lost control when Portugal lost 0-2 to the Republic of Ireland in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Europe.

According to coach Martinez, the situation that led to the red card in the 59th minute was not violent at all. "Cristiano just tried to push the defender away from him, because throughout the match the Irish players kept approaching, pulling his shirt and making strong contact. It was not an attack on anyone. He was just unlucky that the referee and VAR judged differently," he said.

Martinez also said that the VAR angle made the situation worse than it actually was: "I believe that angle makes things look worse. But it's a red card, and the paradox is that this is Cristiano's first red card in the national team. It's unbelievable with a 22-year career."

Despite Ronaldo's regretful departure, Martinez insisted that the team must move forward quickly. "In the dressing room, I told them that we need to prepare for the next game. Cristiano has brought so many victories to Portugal, and today was simply a day when football turned its back. This happens to everyone," he stressed.

In the early morning of November 14, Portugal missed the chance to qualify for the World Cup early when they lost 0-2 to the Republic of Ireland. In the final match, coach Martinez and his team only need 1 point against Armenia at home to decide their fate.

Source: https://znews.vn/hlv-bo-dao-nha-goc-quay-lam-ronaldo-xau-di-post1602664.html