Portugal's worry over their captain's fitness has not yet ended.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho claims Portuguese ace Cristiano Ronaldo will be fit and ready to play in the European nation's World Cup match against USA, despite injury concerns.
Portugal fell to a huge 4-0 loss at the hands of Germany and now take on the North American side in their second game as Paulo Bento's men look at salvaging any hopes of making the round of 16.
But reports of the Real Madrid ace aggravating his knee injury, leaving training early with an ice pack, puts the Seleccao's hopes in jeopardy.
Portuguese news source El Confidential even quoted Surgeon Jose Carlos Noronha, Ronaldo's physician, as telling the 2013 Ballon d'Or winner: “Let your knee rest, or your future is in danger,” and that the 29-year-old responded with: “I’m the one that says whether I’m playing or not.”
However, Noronho denied these claims of a career-threatening injury, calling them “completely false”, according to Portuguese newspaper, O Jogo.
“Of course. He says he has no problems, the reports in the press, some doctor denied already to make any comments. The doctor we have to listen to is the doctor of the Portuguese national team, which says that Ronaldo is in great conditions,” Mourinho argued.
Portuguese doctor denies reports he advised Cristiano Ronaldo to withdraw from the 2014 World Cup due to tendonitis http://t.co/O1Nl9clQcA
— Inside La Liga (@InsideLaLiga) June 18, 2014
Cristiano is not out of the World Cup, just left training early, as he has done throughout the week http://t.co/O1Nl9clQcA
— Inside La Liga (@InsideLaLiga) June 18, 2014
Jose Mourinho says Cristiano Ronaldo will play against #USA #USMNT #WorldCup http://t.co/SF7gJAVmCV
— Mike Dyce (@mikedyce) June 19, 2014
“And the fact, that today, people were commenting that after the training session, he was leaving the session with some ice on his knee. I think this is more than natural, because you always have a little knock here, a little knock there.
“He played for ninety minutes, I saw absolutely no problem and the doctor from the Portuguese national team is saying that he’s in perfect condition and I really believe he is.”
USA also do not believe Los Blancos' superstar will miss Monday's encounter as the MLS official website state “USMNT expect” Ronaldo to play and are planning for it.
Will Ronaldo be fit for the USA clash?
