World Cup
Portugal starts without Ronaldo: absent Mazraoui and Aguerd
Portugal manager Fernando Santos left Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench again in the World Cup quarter-final against Morocco. photo
© Francisco Seco/AP/dpa
Portugal national team manager Fernando Santos will once again be without superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in his starting XI in the World Cup quarter-final against Morocco.
of Portugal National football manager Fernando Santos once again waived superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in his starting XI in the World Cup quarter-final against Morocco.
The 37-year-old captain was only on the bench at the start of the match at Al-Thumama Stadium, as he was in the 6-1 round of 16 win against Switzerland. santos he changed his starting XI one position from the previous tournament’s best performance against Switzerland. In central defensive midfield, Rúben Neves replaces William Carvalho of Betis Sevilla.
21-year-old Gonçalo Ramos takes center storm again for Superstar ronaldo. Ramos had scored a hat-trick on his World Cup debut. The Portuguese squad is led by substitute captain Pepe, who is playing in his fourth World Cup at the age of 39. Central defender Rúben Dias, who was recently injured, also got fit for the match in time. Borussia Dortmund’s Raphael Guerreiro defends again down the left in the back four.
Without injured defenders Noussair Mazraoui of Bayern Munich and Nayef Aguerd of West Ham United Morocco face the game. Abdelhamid Sabiri, who played for 1. FC Nürnberg and SC Paderborn and is now under contract with Sampdoria Genoa, is back on the bench. He has a previous yellow card.
