Joao Felix: 'I have no obligation to pass to Ronaldo'
*Morocco - Portugal: 10 p.m. Saturday, December 10, on MetaSports.
In Portugal's press conference on December 9 to prepare for the quarter-final against Morocco, Felix said the team's tactics did not change whether Ronaldo was on the field or not. Because Portugal only used fixed tactics from the first match. "Ronaldo has qualities that other players do not have, and vice versa," said the Atletico Madrid striker. "And the team has a fixed style of play."
A day earlier, A Bola newspaper quoted midfielder Jose Fonte as saying that "Ronaldo's presence on the pitch made the Portuguese players always automatically pass to him". The center-back who won Euro 2016 and UEFA Nations League 2019 with Portugal also said: "The team plays better without Ronaldo".
Responding to Fonte's statement, Felix said: "I do not have the responsibility to pass to Ronaldo. I always offer the best solutions for the team. I do not agree with Fonte but everyone has the right to have an opinion. private and I respect his opinion."
Felix scored one goal, assisted twice and received a yellow card in three games for Portugal in the World Cup. If he receives another yellow card in the match against Morocco, the 23-year-old striker will not be able to play in the semi-finals in case Portugal continue.
Ronaldo is not the only player who often starts but has to be a substitute in the match against Switzerland in the round of 1/8 World Cup 2022 on December 6. Right-back Joao Cancelo and midfielder Ruben Neves also started the first two matches but had to be substitutes against Switzerland. Cancelo didn't even play a minute that day. Cancelo's replacement was Man Utd defender Diogo Dalot, and he left his mark with Goncalo Ramos' pass to make it 3-0.
A Bola said Ronaldo will almost certainly remain on the bench against Morocco, as Ramos is in form with a hat-trick against Yann Sommer. Coach Fernando Santos said he believes Ronaldo will make a difference as a substitute if the game turns out to be difficult against Portugal.
