Portugal has a problem, His name is Cristiano Ronaldo. His presence has such a pernicious effect on his national team that until he leaves, the Portuguese will continue to be held hostage by the ego of the man from Madeira. Against Slovenia, he conditioned his team’s game to the point of vulgarizing it, to the delight of a Slovenia that was close to reaching the quarter-finals with four draws and without winning a match. Cristiano put the epitaph to this horrible tournament that he is completing by missing a penalty that Oblak saved in the first half of extra timeplunging him into a sea of tears. The image of the Euro Cup, although Portugal will be in the quarter-finals.
Bob Martinez’s trading cards
Portugal is the PSG of national teams. One of those squads full of cards that tries to become a team without success year after year. Roberto Martinez is now on the job with a starting eleven that includes Pepe, Cancelo, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva and Rafael Leao. And on the bench are Joao Felix, Gonçalo Ramos, Diogo Jota… Too much glitter. Just the opposite of Oblak’s Slovenia, the most metallic team in the Eurocup.
To this we must add that Cristiano’s presence, at 39 years old, still intimidates his teammates, generating a magnet effect in attack that causes all the balls to end up with him. And spoiled as he is to playing surrounded by friendly Saudis, getting past any serious defender, and the Slovenians are serious, is a Homeric task for him. In the end he ends up lost between orders to his men, gestures of frustration and protests to the referee. And all this with the Slovenians chanting the now classic: “Messi, Messi!”
Portugal came out with vigor, but the proof of their tactical lack of patience was their abuse of through balls. Cristiano felt the wrinkles in three that he saw passing by. The Ronaldo of five years ago would have beaten the goalkeeper with headers. Meanwhile, Slovenia, with their rustic football, were causing problems with long balls and counterattacks. After the 20th minute, neither Oblak nor Diogo had made their debut. The meeting was sad like a fado by Amalia Rodrigues. Only Portugal, whether due to a flash of brilliance from its stars or an error from its defenders, could decide the game. Leao’s rush led to a foul on the edge of the area. You can imagine who took it and the result. The first half ended with Slovenia in the Portuguese area and Diogo waiting for Sesko. There was no sign of Roberto Martínez’s board.
Oblak stops Cristiano Ronaldo from the penalty spot / AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi
To the extension, due to non-appearance
The second half began with Portugal putting in more effort and Slovenia stretching themselves a bit. Cristiano had another foul on the edge of the area and shot with as much violence as it was a lack of positioning. Oblak got rid of it and it was something else. The Portuguese were adding merits and the Slovenians, work. Sesko could have scored in a play that showed that the years also pass for Pepe. The Portuguese team’s tenacity was not creating any chances because they were unable to link up inside. With no news from Bruno Fernandes or Bernardo Silva, Martínez brought on Diogo Jota in place of Vitinha. Another brick without cement.
Cristiano’s third foul also went high with Portugal moving forward, at which point Kek, the rival coach, reinforced his midfield with changes that refreshed the legs and lungs of his players. The minutes ticked away towards extra time with no news in the penalty areas. If anyone thought of Portugal as a candidatethis match refutes that hypothesis. And the sleeping pill was added to the grass that did not allow the ball to roll naturally, making things difficult for the Portuguese. The match, in regulation time, ended with a pass behind the Slovenian defence, where Cristiano appeared to miss the umpteenth chance. Three games, not a goal. It hurts to see him like this, resigned and tribuneencouraging the same crowd that he disenchants with his mistakes.
Cristiano missed the penalty
Extra time was passing by inconsequentially when Diogo Jota charged into the area and forced a penalty from a centre-back who came in. And then Cristiano went to take it. He had six shots, three on target. He hit it to his right and Oblak stopped it flying in at his left post. Cristiano’s tragicomedy had no end. The error served as a turning point and the Slovenians came out on top. Portugal was diluted by Cristiano’s tears in the face of Roberto Martínez’s ineffectiveness on the bench, who was unable to propose solutions. Sesko missed the final blow after missing a one-on-one against Diogo Costa after a grotesque error by Pepe. The game was broken, but it went to penalties.
Cristiano scored the first of the shootout, apologizing for the missed goal. And then Diogo Costa saved shots from Ilicic, Balkovec and Bervic. Goals from Bruno and Bernardo sent Portugal into the quarter-finals and put a smile back on a relieved Cristiano Ronaldo’s face. However, as long as the striker remains in the national team, Portugal has a handicap. France now awaits Roberto Martinez’s men.
2024-07-01 21:21:42
#Cristianos #ego #dragged #Portugal #abyss #Oblaks #Slovenia
