Portugal manager Roberto Martinez has come to the defense of the suspended Cristiano Ronaldo after Portugal secured their place at Euro 2024 without him.

Portugal achieved their biggest-ever victory with a 9-0 win over Luxembourg, with Bruno Fernandes scoring one goal and providing three assists. Diogo Jota, Goncalo Ramos, and Goncalo Inacio each scored twice, while Joao Felix and Ricardo Horta also found the net at the Estadio Algarve.

Luxembourg’s coach, Luc Holtz, left the bench and headed down the tunnel when Fernandes made it 8-0 in the 83rd minute, unable to bear the onslaught.

Ronaldo was absent from the game due to suspension. He had received a yellow card in their victory over Slovakia on Friday, his third booking of the current qualifying campaign, necessitating a one-match ban.

In Ronaldo’s absence, Goncalo Ramos impressed as he started up front, and Diogo Jota added a different dimension to Portugal’s attack. After the victory, Martinez praised both players and stated that the team was “ready to win” even when Ronaldo was not involved.

“Gonçalo Ramos showed today what he can do, and Diogo Jota did the same,” Martinez said. “We need players who have the level to win games. The group is special. We don’t need to compare them. Cristiano is important, but our team is ready to win without him.”

When asked about whether Portugal would perform better without Ronaldo, Martinez emphasized Ronaldo’s importance, stating, “Cristiano is a very important element for this team; Ronaldo has experience and a way of his own. We don’t need to cause controversy. Ronaldo as well as Pepe. They have an infectious way of working and give our team important value.”

Some Portugal fans on social media suggested that the team performs better without Ronaldo. However, midfielder Danilo Pereira backed Ronaldo, believing that the result would have been the same if Ronaldo had played. “If Cristiano Ronaldo were here, the result would be the same,” Pereira stated. “He would have helped with goals and assists. It wasn’t for his absence that this game was won by 8 or 9 goals.”