Francisco Conceição was punished with a three-game suspension by UEFA due to his expulsion in the Portugal-Norway game of the Football Nations League, according to a document from the organization, to which Lusa had access.
The UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Committee, according to a document dated October 9, imposed a three-game sanction on the Portuguese international for “insults and abusive language” towards the referee, in the fourth round match of Group A4, which took place at Estádio do Dragão, in Porto, and which Portugal won 2-1.
In that match, Conceição, who was in the starting lineup, was sent off in the 86th minute, with two yellow cards in a row, for speaking to the referee, and, on his way to the changing rooms, he even ‘caught’ with the fourth referee and had to be removed by the national team’s staff.
This means that the 23-year-old player, currently injured at Juventus, is certain to be absent for the duel in Braga with Denmark, on November 14th, and in Cardiff with Wales, on the 17th, at the end of the group.
As Portugal, current holder of the Nations League trophy, has already secured passage to the quarter-finals, Conceição will also miss the first leg of that tie, which will be in March next year, although the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) may still try to reduce the player’s punishment.
Full-back João Cancelo, due to an accumulation of yellow cards, is also out of the game in Minho against Denmark, leaving the doubt as to whether he will be part of coach Jorge Jesus’ squad list, which should be announced at the end of next week, as well as Paris Saint-Germain’s Nuno Mendes, who is suffering from physical problems.
However, on the day the call-up is presented, all attention will be focused on whether or not captain Cristiano Ronaldo will return, after abandoning the last training camp.
On September 30, the captain of the ‘quinas’ team and striker of the Saudis of Al Nassr left the Portuguese national team’s training camp, in Copenhagen, where he was preparing for the games against Denmark and Norway, after the triumphs against Wales (1-0), in Alvalade, and against the Norwegian team (2-1), in Oslo.
Ronaldo ended up suspended for 30 days and fined 255 euros by the FPF Disciplinary Council (CD), but the punishment ends before the Portuguese team’s next games.
Portugal leads Group A4 with 12 points, followed by Denmark, with six, and Norway and Wales, both with three.
