No Ronaldo? No problem.
After testing positive for coronavirus, Cristiano Ronaldo watched the Nations League on television as Portugal cruised past Sweden 3-0.
The Juventus forward returned to Turin, Italy, aboard a private air ambulance to continue his isolation after returning a positive test on Tuesday, donning his international kit as he watched his country’s victory.
According to the head of Portugal’s General Health Directorate, the journey was permitted as Ronaldo, who has residency in Italy, organized and paid for his own private transport.
Bernardo Silva scored Portugal’s first before Diogo Jota, who had assisted Silva’s opener, bagged a brace, securing a result which puts the undefeated defending champion top of group A3, level on points with France.
The Portuguese Football Federation said Ronaldo was “well (and) without symptoms” when it announced his positive test earlier this week. The 35-year-old must now wait to see when he can return to action.
His club Juventus has put the men’s senior squad into isolation after American midfielder Weston McKennie tested positive on Wednesday, with results from further tests on the rest of the team still to be announced.
In a statement, the club said training and matches would continue as normal for players who continue to test negative.
Ronaldo needs to return a negative test by October 21 in order to be eligible to play against Barcelona – and old nemesis Lionel Messi – in the Champions League on October 28.
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According to UEFA’s’ “Return to Play” protocol, a player must provide confirmation they have recovered from the virus at least a week before the team’s next UEFA match.
Juventus is scheduled to play Crotone on Saturday and its first Champions League game against Dynamo Kyiv on Tuesday.
Ben Church, Vasco Cotovio and Martijn Edelman contributed to this reporting
