Queiroz: Portugal can cope without Ronaldo

PORTUGAL coach Carlos Queiroz insists his team are more than capable of reaching the World Cup despite the significant absence of Cristiano Ronaldo as they head into the first-leg of their play-off with Bosnia-Herzegovina tonight.

Ronaldo has dominated the headlines this week as the Portuguese football federation became embroiled in a tug of war with Real Madrid over the world’s most expensive footballer.

The FPF insisted on Ronaldo travelling to Lisbon to undergo tests, despite his club firmly maintaining the 24-year-old remains sidelined with an ankle injury that has kept him out of their last nine matches.

Queiroz knows his head is on the block should his bunch of talented players fail to book their ticket to South Africa but is confident they are ready for the challenge.

“The most important thing in life is the ‘we’ and the least is the ‘I’,” said Queiroz. “We are confident that all of us, as a team, are prepared for us to overcome this opponent who we respect.

“We have great players, individual and collective options. We have to focus our talents, virtues on the responsibility that lies ahead and get a good result in both parts of this play-off.”

Bosnia-Herzegovina captain Emir Spahic admits it is the biggest game of their career.

“I can’t sleep at night,” said the Montpellier defender. “I keep thinking about what will happen and how. Unlike us, Portugal are one of the strongest teams on the planet.

“It’s normal that you cannot be calm. We know what is before us and what will take us to the World Cup.’’