UEFA Nations League

CRISTIANO RONALDO has been pictured in training with a black eye and a cut to the face after sustaining an injury in his previous game.The Manchester United star was left dripping in blood after colliding with Czech Republic goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik.
Cristiano Ronaldo trained with a nasty facial injuryCredit: AFP
Tomas Vaclik accidentally clattered into Cristiano RonaldoCredit: EPA
The Man Utd striker was left covered in blood
Cristiano Ronaldo carried on for the full 90 minutes despite the injuryCredit: EPA
Both went for an aerial ball and the Olympiakos stopper’s arms smashed CR7 in the face leaving him on the floor needing medial attention.
He did eventually get back up and played the rest of the game with a plaster on his nose.
Portugal went on to win the game 0-4 but the Ronaldo did not score and gave away a penalty that was missed by Patrik Schick.
Next up they face Spain in the Nations League.
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Despite his injury, Ronaldo still trained with the squad and is expected to lead the line in his nation’s last match before the World Cup.
Portugal need to avoid defeat to confirm top spot and make it through to the Nations League finals.
They won the inaugural tournament back in 2019 and are in a promising position to do so again.
Of course, Ronaldo’s sights will remain firmly on the World Cup – which could be his last.
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But the ever motivated legend still has his eyes set on playing in Euro 2024.
Fernando Santos’ men are in a group with Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea at the World Cup.
Ronaldo, 37, has been charged with breaching FA rules after he smashed an autistic boy’s phone to the ground.
The Man United forward appeared to slap young Jacob Harding’s hand after his side were defeated by Everton at Goodison Park in April. More

RAHEEM STERLING knows all too well the feeling of being booed by England supporters and ‘dreading’ going on international duty.But after transforming his own reputation — from public enemy No 1 to England’s best player at the Euros — the Chelsea forward is determined to lift the Three Lions out of crisis and revive Gareth Southgate’s popularity at the World Cup.
Chelsea stars Reece James and Raheem Sterling aim to send England off to the World Cup with a much-improved display against GermanyCredit: Getty
Raheem Sterling aims to give under-fire boss Gareth Southgate a boostCredit: PA
The last time the Three Lions faced Germany at Wembley,  Sterling scored the opener in a historic 2-0 win which ignited last summer’s tournament.
At Wembley tonight, in England’s final match before Qatar, he is hoping for a similar uplift in national morale, after a five-match winless run which has seen fans turn on boss Southgate.
Sterling was jeered by England supporters and widely criticised during a 27-match run in which he failed to score between 2015 and 2018.
But then he enjoyed an outstanding period, starting with two goals in a 3-2 Nations League victory over Spain in Seville.
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And Sterling said: “There was a period where I  actually dreaded coming on England duty.
“But after I scored in Spain, my mentality was, ‘OK, no matter good or bad, I need to focus on myself and not listen to what the outside world is saying’.
“That’s  put me in good stead.  Keep level-headed and don’t  listen to the noise.
“That’s a message that can  definitely go with the squad in the next couple of months. We know there will be noise and we need to block it out if we are  to do well in this tournament.”
Frontman Raheem Sterling admits he used to ‘dread’ playing for EnglandCredit: PA
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Sterling was reminded that his goal against the Germans was only 15 months ago, yet the mood surrounding Southgate’s team has since plummeted.
He said: “Football is brutal at times. That’s why we love it. We’re not here to complain.
“Yes, it was a great tournament last summer but once you  produce like that, people want more — they expect more.
“So, after recent results,  they’re going to be asking questions.
“For me, of course they are  right to ask these questions but it’s for us as a team to make people realise that we are the real deal.”
Sterling, a veteran of four previous tournaments, says players must shoulder the blame for England’s dismal Nations League campaign.It  has seen them relegated after failing to score from open play in five matches.
He said: “After the summer matches, we had a look at ourselves and none of us were proud — myself personally, too.
“It is not for Gareth to shoulder the blame. We have players that can take responsibility. We are not there to partake, we want to win things.
“From the moment Gareth came in, the mentality shifted massively. It is enjoyable. It doesn’t feel like you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere. The boys are really close.
“It’s been  tough  but none of  the boys are thinking we don’t have a good chance in the winter.
We need a good performance against Germany and one of our big players stepping  up — that’s more than likely what will happen.Raheem Sterling
“The results don’t show that now — but I have belief that we will have a good one.
“There has been a lot of focus on Gareth and what he’s been doing — formations and what-not — but the performances haven’t been right. As a collective we need to put that right.”
Sterling let it slip Southgate will again employ his unpopular — but often successful — back five tonight.
And the four-time former Manchester City title winner suggested it might not be his favourite formation.
Asked why England can’t refine a 4-3-3  system,  Sterling answered sharply: “Because the manager wants to play a back five.”
And he admitted that with this system, which demands  he plays in a narrower role inside wing-backs, “the difficulty is  you have always got your back to goal”.
After firing another blank in Friday’s 1-0 loss in Italy, Sterling revealed England had been working on the training ground to counteract the attacking limitations of Southgate’s favoured system.
He said: “Today we had to go over things to try to find where we can find that extra man  with this five at the back — do we put a midfielder higher up  in the build-up?
“The manager is working  on things to get us that space in the attacking third but it’s not a time to panic.
Raheem Sterling and Co struggled as England lost 1-0 in Italy on FridayCredit: Rex
“We need a good performance against Germany and one of our big players stepping  up—  that’s more than likely what will happen.”
Sterling says England’s players have been brutally honest with each other, challenging their team-mates to lift them out of their current slump.
He said: “During half-time, after the game, on the coach — there are things we speak about.
“The manager can play whatever he wants to play but when we go on to the pitch, we have to have that winning mentality.
“That’s the message over the last couple of days when the boys have been speaking. It’s ‘Get more out of each other, push each other, take criticism’.
“If someone is not doing  something right, we have to push each other.
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“It’s not about fighting or anything silly.
“But, on the field, if there is something not right, we have a lot of vocal players.” More

THIS was a hair-rasing night for Gareth Bale and Wales in more ways than one as they head off to the World Cup.Their talismanic skipper is clearly not match fit and only took centre stage twice – one of which was when his Alice Band fell out.
Wales were relegated to Group B of the Nations League following their defeat to PolandCredit: Rex
Karol Swiderski condemned Robert Page’s troops to a 1-0 defeatCredit: REX
The Dragons picked up a solitary point from their second Nations League campaignCredit: PA
The dejected Dragons applaud the fans after their latest Nations League defeatCredit: GETTY
Robert Page trudges off the pitchCredit: PA
By contrast, Poland’s superstar Robert Lewandowski produced the one moment of genuine class to tee up the winning goal just before the hour.
On Thursday it was Kevin de Bruyne – and on Sunday it was the Barcleona new boy undoing the Dragons.
Rob Page’s men are certainly learning the hard way how it is if you want to mix with the best in the world.
They go to Qatar in seven weeks’ time hoping their recent run of just one win in their last seven matches is not a true reflection of where they are.
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Page said planning for that tournament would start as soon as the final whistle blew here – as there was still something at stake for his team.
A win would have meant they stayed in the top tier of the Nations League when it returns in two years time – while it would also have been a nice psychological blow over World Cup rivals England.
Just as importantly, it would have meant almost guaranteed a place in the Euro 2024 play-offs, no matter how the group plays out.
That would have been handy – but it wasn’t to be.
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Wales again had a makeshift look about them with Aaron Ramsey, Joe Allen, Ben Davies and Harry Wilson all absent with injury.
Chris Mepham and Ethan Ampadu also missed out due to suspension – so this was a very different team to the one which might start their next game.
That will be against the USA in Qatar on November 21 – with the Dragons taking their place at the finals for the first time since 1958.
Lewandowski and his Poland team knew a point would do for them and they were roared on by a sizeable travelling support.
It was the Poles who made the better chances early on with Joe Rodon making a perfectly timed intervention to deny Szymon Zurkowski.
Jakub Kiwior flashed in a header that forced Wayne Hennessey into his first save of the night.
The veteran keeper was almost left red-faced when he took his eye off a routine back pass from Rodon and had to scramble the ball off the line.
It was a piece of goalkeeper straight out of the Peter Enckelman handbook but fortunately, he was able to recover.
There was plenty of needle in the game with the Polish fans starting the night by singing through the first part of the Welsh national anthem.
Gareth Bale had a night to forget in CardiffCredit: Rex
Robert Page’s troops go into Qatar 2022 on the back of a horrendous run of formCredit: GETTY
Maybe that wound up defender Connor Roberts as he had a tasty running battle with Nicola Zalewski. They weren’t the only ones though.
A big chance for the Dragons came when a long punt forward from Ben Cabango was not dealt with and Dan James got in behind.
The Fulham man used his pace to get clear but lacked composure and fired straight at the legs of Wojciech Szczesny – who also managed to push the cross to safety from the rebound.
Bale’s major contribution came as he attempted to play on while also trying to put his hairband back in place – causing a collective chuckle in the stands.
He could have caused a hairy moment for Poland as he ghosted into space to collect a Roberts long throw-in but could not force the ball under Szczesny from a narrow angle.
The Dragons went close again when Brennan Johnson found room for a shot on the edge of the box but his goalbound effort clipped the heels of James and spun wide.
Page would have been pleased with the way his team had kept the Poles under control but a moment of class just before the hour mark opened them up.
Lewandwski flick with the outside of his foot was brilliant as it bypassed Rodon and sent Karol Swiderski clear to score through the legs of Hennessey.
The US-based forward also got the winner when these teams met in June.
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Wales could have hit straight back as Johnson cut in from the right and fired a low shot that was superbly tipped away by Szczesny.
He was beaten in stoppage time as Bale got his head on a Sorba Thomas cross but his effort clattered against the bar. A draw would not have been enough though. More