Cristiano Ronaldo Faces Suspension for Forceful Tackle on Former Manchester United Teammate Martin Dubravka During International Duty, Goalkeeper Speaks Up

Martin Dubravka refrains from pointing fingers at Cristiano Ronaldo for their recent intense collision, despite the former Manchester United teammates’ clash during an international match between Portugal and Slovakia.

The incident occurred when Ronaldo made an errant kick, prompting Dubravka to swiftly move in to secure the loose ball. Unfortunately, Ronaldo’s studs-up sliding challenge resulted in a painful collision, leaving Dubravka in agony and requiring medical attention. Although Ronaldo received a booking, VAR intervened, sparing him from a potential dismissal.

Dubravka, who managed to complete the full 90 minutes, shared his perspective on the incident. He recounted, “He hit me in the shoulder, neck, and chest. I just closed my eyes and prayed that he [Ronaldo] wouldn’t hit me in the face as well. When I saw his studs coming at me, I didn’t even look.”

However, Dubravka refrains from assigning blame to Ronaldo for the forceful collision, considering it a natural part of the sport. He commented, “These situations require the goalkeeper to close his eyes and attempt to block the shot, while as a striker, he has to go after such a ball. I don’t blame him. It’s sports, it’s football. Incidents like this are part of the game. Of course, he realized he hit me. He asked me if I was okay. I take it in a sportsmanlike manner. I try to remain level-headed in such situations. It’s a contact sport. Nowadays, with VAR at our disposal, there’s no need to dwell on it.”

Although Ronaldo avoided a red card, he will still face a suspension due to accumulating his third yellow card in the current qualifying campaign. Consequently, he will miss the upcoming match against Luxembourg in the Algarve, marking his first absence from an international game since November 2022 when he secured a 4-0 victory against Nigeria.