Cristiano Ronaldo Faces Potential Lengthy Suspension as Critics Slam "Very Unfair" Red Card Decision
Portugal's head coach Roberto Martínez has called on FIFA to avoid imposing an extended suspension on Cristiano Ronaldo following his dismissal in the match against the Republic of Ireland.
A surprising 2–0 loss became even more problematic at the 60-minute mark when VAR identified an incident between Ronaldo and Dara O'Shea. The Al Nassr striker was judged to have used his elbow against the defender's back and received a red card as a result.
This means Ronaldo's participation in Portugal's World Cup qualifying campaign has ended, but more worryingly, the experienced striker could face a two-match ban at the start of next summer's tournament if FIFA's disciplinary panel determines he committed violent conduct.
From Martínez's perspective, any suspension beyond the standard one-match penalty would be extremely unfair, as he views Ronaldo's action as non-violent—instead seeing it as a frustrated reaction to repeated provocative behavior from O'Shea and other Irish players.
"Following the match, it's a challenging moment because feelings can be confused," Martínez explained. "I witnessed his response to provocation. It began from the match's start, during every incident in the penalty box. It even commenced the previous day during the press conference.
"And it was a response aimed at continuing the game. Others might collapse to the ground seeking a penalty. It's not a violent act, it's not a dismissal for violence, but a response to provocation. We must attempt to present our case and prepare thoroughly. I believe it would be extremely unjust to enforce a lengthy ban."
According to Portuguese media outlet A BOLA, Portuguese officials are preparing a formal challenge to FIFA to ensure Ronaldo receives only a single-match suspension.
Ronaldo Released From Portugal Squad
Media reports before Portugal's encounter with Armenia on Sunday indicated Ronaldo had been dismissed from the national team setup.
Martínez encouraged supporters to look beyond the surface-level interpretation of such news and reminded fans that this represents his standard procedure for players who cannot participate in any match.
"I've previously discussed the national team's operating method: when a player suffers an injury, he's excluded from the squad. When a player faces suspension, he's excluded from the squad," Martínez emphasized. "Because his attention isn't focused on playing.
"We've consistently operated this way. If he's absent from the squad on match day, he's not with the national team. Because the players' concentration is on securing victory. We previously applied this approach with Bruno [Fernandes] in Ireland. Cristiano also accumulated yellow cards and wasn't present. It was against Luxembourg, and we achieved our finest result ever.
"These are inquiries that show disrespect to Cristiano and to everyone present. It's like questioning Cristiano's dedication. Why should we discuss that? He's secured numerous victories, his dedication is flawless. And currently he has yellow cards and cannot be here. And it's part of our operational method."