Real refuse to release Ronaldo

Madrid-based European giants Real Madrid have announced that they will not allow Cristiano Ronaldo to travel to Portugal, as playing could see him risk his entire career.

Real’s doctors have told the player that if he plays for his country after being named in the squad for the forthcoming World Cup play-offs he could suffer a major setback in his rehabilitation from an ankle problem.

Marca have revealed that the Spanish giants are digging their heels in and have sent all the relevant medical reports to the Portuguese Football Federation regarding the ankle injury, which they claim will take another month to six weeks to recover from.

“Cristiano Ronaldo will not travel to Portugal,” the Spanish paper states a Real spokesman as telling them. “He will not be leaving here.

“On Monday we have sent all the medical test results to the Portuguese Federation, with our results and those of Doctor Niek van Diyk in Holland, that clearly state Cristiano Ronaldo is injured and cannot play.”

Portugal are set to play Bosnia-Herzegovina on Saturday and again on Wednesday as they attempt to earn a place in the World Cup Finals next summer, but will have to do so without their star performer.

The national team’s medical staff have been invited to Madrid to give Ronaldo a series of their own tests to prove that he is injured, and they are said to be considering the option.

After suffering the initial injury against Marseille in the UEFA Champions League last month, Ronaldo aggravated the problem while playing for Portugal against Malta.