Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, abandoned his team-mates during the international break after a heated fall-out with manager Jorge Jesus.
The Portuguese Football Federation, FPF, rules have automatically imposed a suspension, and the FPF disciplinary council will convene to determine the duration, which could range from one to six months.
If the suspension extends beyond one month, Ronaldo would be ruled out of Portugal’s Nations League clashes with Denmark and Wales in November.
The council will weigh all mitigating factors before deciding, including his public apology to supporters.
A suspension on the longer end of the scale is described by ESPN as ‘extremely unlikely’ given Ronaldo’s standing in the Portugal set-up.
The dispute began when Ronaldo was left on the bench as an unused substitute in Norway on September 27.
He insists he had been assured of at least thirty minutes of playing time but was instead kept warming up on the sidelines for a prolonged spell before coach Jesus ultimately decided not to bring him on.
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Ronaldo said in his statement: “He, Jesus, told me to be prepared because I would play 30 minutes. Everyone knows what happened next.
I warmed up from half-time, watched the minutes go by, and was not called upon. The coach had broken his word to me.”
Ronaldo disclosed that Jesus broke his promise a second time when, during a press conference, the coach asserted, “I make the decisions.”
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner maintains that he and Jesus had previously agreed on specific talking points for him to share with the media.
One of them, which Ronaldo claims was meant to be said out loud by Jesus, read: “I made a mistake in having someone of the stature of Pele or Maradona warm up and then not putting him in the game.
If it were today, I would not do it.”
Ronaldo, who is bearing down on 1,000 career goals, insists he is not yet done with international football.
He wrote: “If I am physically fit, playing for my club, scoring goals, I hope, that after serving whatever suspension is imposed on me, I will be available, as I have always been until today, to compete and win for our national team.”
THE SUN
