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Bruno Fernandes & Portugal Coach Clash Over Cristiano Ronaldo's Red Card Controversy

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Emmanuel Mendez | Last updated Nov 16, 2025 8:31 AM ET

For Portugal's most important game of the World Cup qualifiers, Cristiano Ronaldo will not be able to play for the Portuguese national team. His red card in the previous match against Ireland resulted in a ban for the match against Armenia today.

Portugal's head coach, Roberto Martínez, will rely on other star players, such as Rafael Leão, Vitinha, and Bruno Fernandes, to lead Portugal to victory and qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

Ahead of the match against Armenia, both Martinez and Bruno Fernandes were asked about Ronaldo's suspension for the match against Armenia after the star player received a red card against Ireland a few days ago.

Martinez attributes Ronaldo's reaction to provocation from opposition players. Martinez said, "I saw that Cristiano's reaction was a reaction to provocation. And it was a provocation that started at the beginning of the game, every time Cristiano was in the box with their defenders...'

Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal gestures to the Republic of Ireland bench after he was shown a red card during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group F Qualifier match between Republic of Ireland and Portugal at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. (Photo By David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

The Portugal head coach continues to defend Ronaldo and says, 'It started the day before, in the press conference. And the reaction was to try to continue playing. Other players could use this, fall to the ground, and look for a penalty. So it was not violent conduct, it was not a red card for violent conduct, it's a reaction to provocation."

Martinez believes that it would be unfair if Ronaldo received a longer match ban, as the Portuguese striker could potentially face a multiple-game suspension.

Bruno Fernandes on Ronaldo's red card

While Martinez believes that Ronaldo shouldn't have faced a red card due to the player being provoked by Irish players, Bruno Fernandes looks at the incident as a mistake on Ronaldo's part.

Fernandes believes that even Ronaldo can recognize that he made a mistake by receiving a red card in a crucial match against Ireland.

Fernandes said, "A red card is something normal in football. It was a moment where Cris reacted in a way that cost him dearly. He knows it wasn’t something he wanted to do, but it happened, and he knows he made a mistake."

The Portuguese midfielder states that it was harder for them to play against Ireland after Ronaldo's red card by saying, "Obviously, that made things more difficult because we were only playing with ten men, and we didn’t have a player capable of scoring at any moment."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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