Portugal's Ronaldo hopes to face England (Reuters) Updated: 2006-06-26 08:53
NUREMBERG, June 25 - Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo, who limped off
with an injured right thigh in Sunday's win over the Dutch in the second round
of the World Cup, said he hoped he would be fit to face England on Saturday.
"I don't think it's serious ... Tomorrow I will talk to the doctor and I hope
I can play against England, but we will see tomorrow," he told reporters.
Portugal beat the Netherlands 1-0 in a bad-tempered match in which each side
had two men sent off, including Dutch defender Khalid Boulahrouz who collected
his first yellow card for his high challenge on the Manchester United winger.
Mark van Bommel had earlier been booked for tripping Ronaldo after only two
minutes.
"I took two hits. I tried to stand for 15 minutes but my leg started to swell
and I had to leave," said Ronaldo, who shed a few tears in the dugout after
being replaced by Simao Sabrosa.
But he shrugged off suggestions that he had been singled out by the Dutch
players for rough treatment.
"This is football. I'm used to it. Obviously I would have liked to help my
team mates. I started the game very well and I thought I could have a great
match today. But my team mates had a great game and I have to congratulate
them," he said.
Ronaldo said he and Costinha, who was the first of the four men to be
dismissed for second bookable offences, consoled each other in the dressing
room, and that he was looking forward to the quarter-final clash in
Gelsenkirchen against England.
"Every game from now is a final. I hope it's a great game of football
(against England). I want both teams to finish the match with all 11 players --
then it will be a good game," he said.
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