Football Talk - Cristiano Ronaldo blow for Portugal - 06/11/09
Portugal have suffered a blow after Real Madrid confirmed Cristiano Ronaldo needs two more weeks of treatment on his injured ankle. This means the current World Player of the Year is set to miss Portugal's World Cup play-off games against Bosnia on 14th November in Lisbon and four days later in Zenica.
Real confirmed his absence on Thursday after Niek van Dijk, the doctor who treated the same ankle last year, conducted tests. He confirmed Ronaldo would require another two weeks of treatment before returning to consult him in Amsterdam in 15 days' time.
Earlier, the Portuguese Football Federation chief Gilberto Madail had expressed his hope that Ronaldo would play against Bosnia.
"Ronaldo wants to play, he will join the squad and will be examined by the medical team," he said. "The situation is under control as there have been contacts between our coach, the Real Madrid coach, the player and the medical departments."
Ronaldo first picked up the problem during a Champions League meeting with Marseille in September. He then aggravated the injury in Portugal's crucial World Cup qualifier against Hungary on 10th October. He has subsequently been forced to sit out Real's last seven fixtures and will also miss Saturday's trip to city rivals Atletico Madrid.
