Cristiano Ronaldo lays blame on coach for spot of bother

 
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (R) and Bruno Alves (L) show their dejection after the semi final match of the UEFA EURO 2012 between Portugal and Spain in Donetsk, Ukraine, 27 June 2012. Spain won 4-2 after penalty shootout. Photo: EPA/Srdjan Suki
Giuseppe Muro28 June 2012

Cristiano Ronaldo today denied he was to blame for Portugal’s Euro 2012 exit and said it was coach Paulo Bento’s decision for him to go last in last night’s shootout.

The Real Madrid forward watched in dismay as Cesc Fabregas stroked home Spain’s fifth penalty to win the semi-final in Donetsk without having had his chance from the spot.

Ronaldo was due to take Portugal’s final penalty but was left cursing in the centre circle as Spain celebrated booking a place in Sunday’s final against either Germany or Italy.

However, today, Ronaldo hit back, saying: “The coach is the one to pick penalty takers and I was the fifth, if it was my call I would be the first.

“I did my best as I always do, so I’m satisfied with what I have done for the team. We have to be proud because we did what we had to do. We played well and we deserved to be in the final. I think it was a very successful European Championship [for Portugal].

“We did well, we were among the best four teams at the tournament and we didn’t win because we didn’t have luck but penalties are like that. We have to be proud but the truth is that we are a bit frustrated because we knew that we could reach the final.”

When asked why Ronaldo did not take a penalty, Bento defended his decision to leave Portugal’s regular taker waiting in the wings.

He said: “We had this order of Moutinho, Pepe, Nani and Alves and then it would have been Ronaldo.

“We had decided this plan and if it would have been 4-4 and Ronaldo would have had the last penalty, we would talk differently. This is about strategy, no more than that.

“We decided this would be the best order to succeed but we had no luck. We trained and decided who would take the penalties. But we could have decided the game in the 90 minutes. If I could choose a way of losing, I wouldn’t choose this one.”

Meanwhile, Fabregas today revealed that he asked the ball to “make history” before striking the decisive penalty that took Spain to an unprecedented third major final in a row.

The former Arsenal midfielder, who leapt on top of keeper and captain Iker Casillas after his successful spotkick (below), said: “When I stepped up to take the penalty I said to the ball that we had to make history and it shouldn’t let me down.

“I had the feeling that there would be penalties. I wanted to take one if we had this opportunity. To be honest, I am very excited.”

Casillas added: “We’ve made history already and we are still making it. We hope people remember that forever. Because it is unique what we are achieving. Penalties are a lottery. I had the intuition in that penalty for Portugal and I stopped it, which was the best we could get.

“We were tired in the game and that counts.

“Now we have another day to rest and let’s see what happens in the final.”

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