Ronaldo out for weeks

Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo’s injured right ankle will keep him out for three or four weeks, Spanish media said Monday.

“Madrid upset; they think Portugal should not have pushed the player,” to turn out for Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against Hungary, headlined Marca.

“Four weeks out”, the daily noted, listing all the matches the world’s most expensive player will miss, including Champions league ties against AC Milan on October 21 and November 3.

“It was reckless of him to play,” Marca quoted a Real Madrid source as saying. “Understandable recklessness, but reckless.”

The AS newspaper ran a quote from the 94 million euro player as a headline: “I pushed it to help my country.”

Ronaldo had shaken off a twist to the same ankle to start Saturday’s Group One clash, but lasted just 27 minutes of the 3-0 victory in Lisbon.

Real Madrid lie second in the league after six games, three points behind champions Barcelona.

Ronaldo, Real’s leading league scorer with five, missed their 2-1 defeat away to Sevilla on October 4 because of the ankle problem he picked up the previous week against Marseille in the Champions league.