Portugal and Bruno Fernandes had a successful international break, defeating Liechtenstein and Luxembourg 4-0 and 6-0, respectively.
Portugal did well to breeze through these two European qualifying matches and record two clean sheets despite the fact that they were simple contests.
The two performances gave Portugal the fresh start they needed under new coach Roberto Martinez, who was brought in after Fernandes Santos left following the World Cup.
Nevertheless, there was one item the Manchester United player took offense to. Bruno Fernandes started both games and contributed an assist in the victory over Luxembourg.
Fernandes rejects Ronaldo’s assertions.
Cristiano Ronaldo has kept playing for his country at the international level and has four goals in two games.
At a press conference last week, as reported by O Jogo, Ronaldo expressed his excitement for Portugal’s fresh start.
He stated: “It is a new chapter for all of us, including the players, staff, and the nation itself. The energies are good and positive, and that is what matters most.
We now have new air, other ideas, and different mentalities, which is excellent and quite apparent.
Bruno Fernandes, though, clarified his position on Ronaldo’s remarks in a press conference following Portugal’s second match.
According to Fernandes, Ronaldo made a mistake since there has always been a good vibe around the Portugal team.
He stated:
No, it’s simply a new coach with fresh perspectives. There isn’t any fresh air around.
It’s only a phase of change. The national team has always had a positive atmosphere. There has never been anything that wasn’t new, so I believe it’s just a case of new dynamics, a new coach, and assimilating his ideas.
Publicly opposing Ronaldo might not do much to improve the mood within the Portugal team.
On the other side, Fernandes gave Ronaldo his first assist since 2021 over the weekend. The “air” of the Portugal team will remain upbeat as long as he continues to do so and Ronaldo continues to score goals.