Real Madrid and Portugal go to war over Cristiano Ronaldo

By Duncan Shaw Nov 9, 2009, 8:34 GMT

   Madrid - Real Madrid and the Portuguese football federation have gone to war over Cristiano Ronaldo.

   On Sunday, Portugal national manager Carlos Queiroz announced that he was calling up the winger for next week's World Cup playoffs against Bosnia-Herzegovina, saying that he would like Ronaldo to play 'even if just for a few minutes.'

   Ronaldo's club Real were on Monday quoted as being furious at this move because they believe that his battered right ankle needs two more weeks to recover before returning to action.

   The plan of the Spanish giants is to have him fit for the November 29 'Clasico' away to Barcelona, who are one point ahead of them in the league.

   They are afraid that playing against Bosnia could aggravate his injury, and are adamant that Ronaldo will stay in Madrid rather than travel to Portugal this week.

   Portugal, for their part, appear not to believe that the injury is so serious and want their own doctors to examine the winger.

   It is the old 'club versus country' row with a vengeance, with the world's most expensive player stuck in the middle.

   Real smashed the world transfer record in June when they paid Manchester United around 94 million euros (139.7 million dollars) for the 24 year-old crowd pleaser.

   He started out like an express train at the Estadio Bernabeu, scoring five goals in La Liga in September and four in the Champions League.

   But on September 30 an ugly foul by Olympique Marseille's Souleymane Diawara badly sprained his right ankle. He was out of action for 10 days and Real did not want him to play for Portugal against Hungary.

   But play he did - and seriously aggravated the injury.

   Real were furious with the Portuguese doctors and with Queiroz, who flopped as Real coach a few years ago. Since the Hungary fiasco Ronaldo has not played.

   Last week he travelled to Amsterdam to be examined by specialist Niek Van Dijk, the doctor who operated the ankle in July 2008. To Real's relief, Van Dijk did not recommend another operation, but instead two additional weeks of rest.

   On Monday, Madrid sports daily AS - which has the headline 'It Is War!' - accused Queiroz of acting 'out of resentment,' because he was sacked by Real in 2004 after a disastrous season.

   AS quoted Ronaldo on Monday as saying that 'I cannot imagine a World Cup without Portugal,' and said that Real are threatening to take legal action against the Portuguese federation.

   Rival daily Marca quoted Real general director Jorge Valdano as saying that 'we will wait for two weeks and then he (Ronaldo) will see doctor Van Dijk again.'

   Valdano added that 'the Portuguese doctors have the doors open to come and see the condition of the player. In any case, this Monday we will send them all the information. I believe that he needs tranquility because we are pushing him towards anxiety.'

   Valdano was also quoted as saying that 'we should remember that he made his injury worse by playing for Portugal ... To repeat that mistake would much more serious.'

   An online opinion poll taken by Marca said that 78 per cent of readers think that Real should not permit Ronaldo to return to Portugal this week.