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Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Moutinho and Raphael Guerreiro will all miss Portugal’s Nations League match against Switzerland this weekend, coach Fernando Santos announced on Saturday.
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The trio have been excused the journey to Geneva on “management” grounds rather than injury.
“It’s not about physical problems, it’s a question of management,” said Santos during a press conference in Lisbon.
“It wouldn’t make sense to travel to Switzerland with 26 players, when we can only have 23 on the bench,” he added without further details.
Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, did not take part in the final training session before the squad took off for Geneva.
Portugal face Switzerland on Sunday to stay top of Group 2 in League A of the Nations League.
After a 1-1 draw in Seville with Spain and two wins in Lisbon over Switzerland, in which Ronaldo scored twice, and the Czech Republic, Portugal have seven points, two ahead of the Spanish.
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