Ronaldo's Status For Azerbaijan Match: Will He Play?

Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese football captain, was suspended and did not play against Azerbaijan in a World Cup qualifier in 2021. Ronaldo had received a second booking of the campaign for removing his shirt after scoring a last-minute winner against Ireland. Despite his suspension, Ronaldo travelled with his teammates to Azerbaijan and pushed for the match to be played in Turin, Italy, due to coronavirus concerns.

Cristiano Ronaldo was suspended for the match against Azerbaijan

Ronaldo's suspension meant that he was able to make his Manchester United debut against Newcastle, as he was allowed to leave the Portugal camp early and undergo a mandatory five days in isolation on his arrival in England. Had he played against Azerbaijan, he would not have been out of isolation until the end of the weekend, causing him to miss the Manchester United game.

Portugal beat Azerbaijan 3-0 in their crucial World Cup qualifier match. However, captain Cristiano Ronaldo did not play any part in the game, despite his last-gasp brace to see off Ireland the previous Wednesday.

Ronaldo pushed for the match to be played in Turin

Cristiano Ronaldo pushed for Portugal to play their 2022 World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan in Turin, Italy, instead of Lisbon, Portugal. The change in location was due to coronavirus concerns, and Ronaldo was reportedly instrumental in bringing the Portugal national team to Turin.

Portugal was on Britain's red list of countries for COVID-19, meaning returning Premier League players would have faced a hotel quarantine period. As a result, the game was moved to a neutral venue, and Ronaldo negotiated with Juventus for his compatriots to use the club's Continassa sports centre as their training base. The team also stayed at the J|Hotel next to the training base.

Ronaldo's negotiations with Juventus meant that his national teammates would be as close to him as possible during the international break. He was able to secure these arrangements because of his longstanding relationship with the club, for whom he has scored over 100 goals.

The game between Portugal and Azerbaijan eventually went ahead in Turin at the Juventus Stadium, with Portugal winning 3-0. However, Ronaldo did not play in the game due to a suspension.

Portugal has never lost to Azerbaijan

Portugal's captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, did not play in their last match against Azerbaijan on March 30, 2021, which Portugal won 3-0. Ronaldo was suspended for the match due to a yellow card he collected in a previous game against Israel, which ended in a 3-3 draw.

Ronaldo's suspension was a result of his second booking of the campaign. His first booking was due to furious protests in Serbia when he thought he had scored a last-minute winner, but the linesman judged the ball not to have crossed the line. Despite his suspension, Ronaldo travelled with the Portugal squad to Azerbaijan and was allowed to leave the camp early as he prepared to undergo a mandatory five-day isolation on his arrival in England.

Ronaldo had pushed for the match to be played in Turin, with the veteran forward keen for his team to use Juventus' training centre as a base. This was due to coronavirus concerns, as Portugal was on Britain's red list at the time, which would have meant returning Premier League players facing a hotel quarantine period.

Ronaldo travelled with the Portugal squad to Azerbaijan

Cristiano Ronaldo travelled with the Portugal squad to Azerbaijan for a World Cup qualifier match in March 2021, despite being suspended for the game. Ronaldo was suspended due to a yellow card received in a previous match against Israel.

As captain of the Portuguese national team, it was decided that Ronaldo should still travel and be with the squad for their upcoming fixture. He pushed for the match to be played in Turin, with Portugal using Juventus' training centre as a base. This was due to coronavirus concerns, as Portugal was on Britain's red list at the time.

Ronaldo's suspension meant he was able to make his debut for Manchester United against Newcastle the following Saturday. Had he played in Azerbaijan, he would not have been out of isolation until the end of the weekend.

Ronaldo was allowed to leave the Portugal camp early

Cristiano Ronaldo was suspended for Portugal's World Cup qualifier match against Azerbaijan in 2021. The forward had received a second booking of the campaign for removing his shirt after scoring a last-gasp winner against Ireland. As a result, he was allowed to leave the Portugal camp early.

Ronaldo's early departure from the Portugal camp was also influenced by the need to undergo a mandatory five-day isolation period upon his return to England. Had he played in Azerbaijan, he would not have completed his isolation until the end of the weekend, impacting his availability for Manchester United's upcoming match against Newcastle.

Despite his suspension, Ronaldo still travelled with the Portugal squad to Azerbaijan as their captain. His presence demonstrated his commitment to the national team and his desire to support his teammates, even if he could not play.

In addition to his involvement with the Azerbaijan match, Ronaldo played a part in arranging Portugal's training base for the qualifier. Due to coronavirus concerns, Portugal was granted permission to move the location of the match from Lisbon to Turin. Italian newspapers suggested that Ronaldo influenced this decision and negotiated with Juventus for Portugal to use their training facilities.

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