Portugal boss Fernando Santos says Cristiano Ronaldo is ‘doing fine’ after testing positive for coronavirus and has not shown any symptoms of the virus.
The 35-year-old Juventus forward was due to face Sweden on Wednesday night in the Uefa Nations League but has been forced to self-isolate in the team hotel after his latest coronavirus test came back positive.
Despite mingling with his teammates for the past week, the rest of the squad have all tested negative and will be allowed to take part in the match against Sweden as planned.
Ronaldo has been able to able to watch training from his hotel room, even shouting instructions down to the players, and Santos says the former Real Madrid star is disappointed he will not be able to play.
‘No team can be better without the best player in the world but this team has already demonstrated that collectively it has the capacity to tackle the situation,’ said Santos.
‘He is managing the situation very well. He is in the room, saying he wants to play, he talks to us from upstairs [from his balcony].
‘He is completely asymptomatic, he is okay, without any symptoms, he doesn’t even know what happened to him.’
On how the team will get by without Ronaldo, Santos continued: ‘Any player who is absent due to Covid-19 is a big loss, and Ronaldo’s absence is probably even greater [than anyone else’s].
‘But I have absolute confidence in those players who are going to play.
‘The plan is the same. But the dynamics are different. Cristiano has his own characteristics.
‘No team is better without the best player in the world. But this team have already shown that they have the ability to respond as a collective. I have full confidence in my players.’
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