Suara.com – Cristiano Ronaldo was lucky not to get a straight red card after his foot touched Martin Dubravka’s face in the Euro 2024 qualifier between Portugal and Slovakia.
Ronaldo slid for a loose ball in the second half of the game and accidentally injured Dubravka’s face.
The veteran striker insisted on his innocence and apologized to Dubravka, only to be shown a yellow card by the referee.
VAR checked the incident for a possible red card, but Ronaldo escaped further punishment after showing that his foot had slid from Dubravka’s chest into his face.
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Ronaldo had played with Dubravka at Manchester United last season.
Portugal national team striker Cristiano Ronaldo (right) and Slovakia defender Denis Vavro jump to head the ball during matchday 5 of Group J of UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying between Slovakia vs Portugal in Bratislava on September 8, 2023. VLADIMIR SIMICEK / AFP
When the incident occurred in the 61st minute of the game in Bratislava, Portugal were 1-0 up thanks to a goal scored by Bruno Fernandes.
The United captain fired a powerful shot into the bottom corner of the goal in the 43rd minute to give the visitors the lead.
Ronaldo appeared in his 201st match with Portugal at the age of 38. The CR7 left United in December after his contract was terminated by mutual consent following a dispute with manager Erik ten Hag.
He then joined Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, which helped spark a wave of star transfers to the Middle Eastern country.
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Dubravka, meanwhile, joined United on loan from Newcastle in September 2022 after losing his place in the Magpies squad to Nick Pope.