Jorge Jesus gives brief response to Cristiano Ronaldo statement

Portugal manager Jorge Jesus has responded to Cristiano Ronaldo’s statement detailing the disagreement between the pair during the national team’s camp in Denmark.

The dispute led to Al-Nassr forward Ronaldo leaving the camp. In his statement, issued yesterday, Ronaldo accused Jesus of breaking promises over an agreement concerning his involvement in UEFA Nations League matches.

Jesus addressed the statement on Wednesday morning, according to Portuguese newspaper Record, but offered no detailed response when questioned by reporters waiting outside his home.

“I have read the statement. Now, as I do every day, I will go to the federation to work and think about the team and the Portugal national team. I have nothing more to say,” Jesus said.

Ronaldo issued a lengthy statement in which he apologised to the Portuguese public and said he deserved to be punished by the Portuguese Football Federation.

He also described the events that preceded the disagreement. Ronaldo said a brief document, containing eight points, had been prepared and “given to the coach at his request”.

The document was intended to provide the issues Jesus would discuss during the news conference before Portugal’s match against Denmark. However, Ronaldo said: “Nothing that was discussed was carried out in front of the media.”

Jesus had said on Tuesday that he had not read Ronaldo’s statement when it was released because he was watching a Portugal Under-21 match at the time. He did, however, confirm that he knew the statement had been published.

The disagreement between the manager and Ronaldo resulted in the forward’s departure from the Denmark camp, while the player’s public account of the dispute has placed the details of their alleged agreement at the centre of the controversy.