Cristiano Ronaldo recovers from bloodied nose; gears up for Portugal's Nations League clash against Spain
Cristiano Ronaldo, who was covered in blood after a painful collision with Czech Republic goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik in Portugal's UEFA Nations League 4-0 win on Saturday, appears to have recovered from the blow and is set to face Spain in a crucial clash on Tuesday.
FollowIt was a sight that left countless Cristiano Ronaldo fans shell-shocked after they saw the Portugal talisman covered in blood following a painful collision with Czech Republic goalkeeper Thomas Vaclik in their UEFA Nations League clash on Saturday. Although Portugal registered an emphatic 4-0 win, the Manchester United icon's bloodied nose became the talk of the town.
Ronaldo connected with the leaping Vaclik, whose arms struck the Portuguese legend in the face and caused him to fall to the ground in a heap. The iconic striker was lying motionless on the ground with blood gushing from his nostrils. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was left needing medical attention but returned to the field with his nose bandaged. He was back in the thick of the action soon after when he gave away a penalty for a handball, although Patrik Schick missed from the spot.
Portugal ran out 4-0 winners to set up a crunch group decider at home to Spain on Tuesday. Although it was a frustrating night for Ronaldo, who went goalless in Prague, it was a happier occasion for his Old Trafford teammates. Red Devils' Diogo Dalot scored twice on either side of a Bruno Fernandes goal. Liverpool's Diogo Jota scored the fourth strike for Portugal.
The Portuguese legend was seen training with the squad ahead of Tuesday's UEFA Nations League clash along with his teammates. The Portugal football team took to Instagram to even share a photograph of Ronaldo in all smiles, indicating that he has recovered well from the freak incident that left him soaked in blood.
"Together in the preparation for the duel with the 🇪🇸! #WearTheFlag," wrote the team in a post that also showcased other Portugal stars training for the clash.
The Portugal team also shared a video showcasing a glimpse of their stars gearing up for a training session. "Training vibes Braga's Edition. ✌️😌⚽ #VesteABandeira #WearTheFlag," noted the squad in a video post that also showcased Ronaldo smiling ahead of what would have been an intense session.
Portugal leads the group 10 points ahead of Spain on eight after five matches with one game left to play. And Ronaldo will be hoping to score for his team and strike form just two months away from the highly-anticipated Qatar World Cup 2022.
