Like Madrid, Portugal has to cope without Ronaldo

Team to face Poland in UEFA NL

MADRID, Oct 10, (AP): It’s not only Real Madrid that has to adapt to life without Cristiano Ronaldo.

Portugal’s national soccer team also has had to cope without the star forward as he takes a break from international duty following his transfer to Juventus and amid a rape allegation against him.

Ronaldo hasn’t been called up for the national team since the World Cup, and the Portuguese soccer federation has already said he also will not be considered for upcoming international matches later this year.

Portugal, which won the European Championship in 2016 for its first major title, plays at Poland on Thursday in the UEFA Nations League, its third match without Ronaldo since the World Cup tournament in Russia. The team will face Scotland in a friendly on Sunday.

Portugal coach Fernando Santos said Ronaldo didn’t play in the first two matches after the World Cup to rest following a busy off-season that included his move from Real Madrid to Juventus. He said Ronaldo was still settling in with the Italian club and needed time to focus on that.

In this file photo, Juventus’ Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo runs during the Italian Serie A football match Udinese Calcio vs Juventus FC at the Dacia Arena stadium in Udine on Oct 6. (AFP)

in Portugal’s attack, has been doing just fine by himself this season. He was crucial in the team’s opening win against Italy in the Nations League last month, scoring the second-half winner that left Portugal at the top of Group 3 in League A of Europe’s newest competition.

A victory on Thursday won’t yet secure Portugal a spot in the final four of the Nations League in June, but it will keep the team from being relegated to the second-tier League B. Portugal leads Group 3 with three points, two more than both Poland and Italy. Italy has already played twice, losing at Portugal and drawing against Poland at home.

“If we win this match it will be a big step for us,” said Santos, who turned 64 on Wednesday and is about to mark his four-year anniversary with the national team. “We are very motivated to make it to the final four.”

Given his links with both countries, Bale should have relished playing against Spain, who feature several of his Real teammates, in the first meeting between the teams since 1985.

But manager Ryan Giggs is hoping the country’s record goalscorer will be fit for the more significant Nations League tie against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on Oct 16.

Gareth has got a little bit of muscle fatigue and he won’t be involved against Spain,” said Giggs. “We don’t want to take any risks and we are monitoring it every day. I would say he is 50-50 at the minute for the Ireland game.”

Even with Bale on the sidelines, Burnley’s Vokes is certain Wales will show they are more than a one-man band.

“Gareth is massive for us, but we’ve got a lot of players playing at top level now,” Vokes said.

“They are playing regularly as well and that can only help us. If there are players missing there are others ready to step in.”

Vokes’ confidence is built on the foundations laid by Giggs since he succeeded Chris Coleman as Wales manager in January.

Wales produced one of their best performances in recent years when they thrashed the Republic of Ireland 4-1 in their Nations League opener last month.

Their second taste of the competition, a 2-0 defeat in Denmark three days later, was not so productive for former Manchester United winger Giggs, who has won two and drawn one of his five matches.

But Giggs’ tenure, notable for his use of emerging young talent, has already sparked enough enthusiasm to convince Welsh FA chiefs to schedule the Spain fixture for the 74,500-capacity Principality Stadium – their first appearance there since 2011.

“It helps that I inherited a great squad spirit-wise and regarding how the lads get on,” Giggs said.

“Obviously, I’m different from the previous manager, I’ve got my own ways and my own thoughts about how I want to play and work.

“But the players have been really good and are taking all the information on board.”

Since their shock World Cup exit against Russia, Spain have got back on track in the Nations League with a 2-1 win against England and a 6-0 rout of World Cup finalists Croatia.

Spain’s World Cup woes were triggered by Julen Lopetegui’s sacking on the eve of the competition after revealing he would be taking over as Real boss.

But new Spain manager Luis Enrique has steadied the ship, appearing unafraid to make big selection calls as he showed by once again leaving out Barcelona left-back Jordi Alba. Switzerland’s Rahel Kiwic (right), and Belgium’s Tine De Caibny fight for the ball during a 2019 Women’s Soccer World Cup playoff match between Switzerland and Belgium at the Tissot Arena stadium in Biel, Switzerland on

Oct 9. (AP)

Belgium’s “Big Three” clubs – Anderlecht of Brussels, Standard Liege and Bruges – all confirmed their premises had been searched. Bruges said their Croatian coach Ivan Leko was also taken in for questioning. The club are competing in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid, Monaco and Borussia Dortmund.

The raids and arrests, which topselling Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws said had shaken Belgian football to its core, come just three months after the country reached the World Cup semifinals.

That success was achieved with a squad largely nurtured as teenagers in the local Jupiler Pro League before

Spanish champions Barca are represented by only one player, Sergio Busquets, as Enrique preferred uncapped Wolves defender Jonny Otto to Alba.

“Azpilicueta plays right-back, and Jonny can do it. That’s why I’ve chosen these players,” Enrique said.

“I’m not talking about those who are not here. It’s not a taboo subject but I’m not going to talk about them.”

After facing Wales, Spain host England in Nations League action on Oct 15.

“A friendly gives me the options to try things that I want. But the vital one is England,” Enrique said.

In this photograph taken on Jan 11, 2017, Anderlecht’s manager Herman Van Holsbeeck looks on during the seventh day of the winter training camp of Belgian first division soccer team RSC Anderlecht Los Belones, Murcia, Spain. (AFP)

their Belgian clubs transferred them for substantial profits to bigger name outfits in England, France, Italy and Germany.

Investigators were also questioning leading soccer agents Mogi Bayat and Dejan Veljkovic, as well as a former