Cristiano Ronaldo left covered in blood after being whacked in face by Czech keeper in painful collision
CRISTIANO RONALDO was left covered in blood after a painful collision with Czech Republic keeper Tomas Vaclik.
The Manchester United forward suffered the painful injury inside the opening 12 minutes of Portugal’s Nations League clash after challenging for an aerial ball.
Ronaldo collided with the leaping Vaclik, whose arms smashed into the Portugal legend’s face, leaving him on a heap on the floor.
Blood was pouring out of Ronaldo’s nose as he sat stunned on the turf.
The striker was left needing medical assistance but later returned onto the pitch with a bandage on his nose.
And he was back in the thick of the action soon after when he gave away a penalty for a handball, although Patrik Schick missed from the spot.
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Portugal ran out 4-0 winners to set up a crunch group decider at home to Spain on Tuesday.
A frustrated Ronaldo went goalless in Prague, but it was a much happier occasion for a pair of Old Trafford team-mates.
Red Devils right-back Diogo Dalot netted a shock double either side of a Bruno Fernandes strike.
Liverpool’s Diogo Jota hit the fourth late on.
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The Portuguese controlled possession and opened the scoring in the 33rd minute when Rafael Leao swung a cross into the area and Dalot fired past goalkeeper Vaclik.
Fernandes doubled the lead for the visitors in added time at the end of the first half when he surged into the box and converted a cross from close range.
Dalot netted his second soon after the interval with Jota rounding out the scoring in the 82nd minute to leave the 2019 winners in pole position to reach the semi-finals.
Portugal lead the group on 10 points ahead of Spain on eight after five matches with one game left to play.