Portugal's head coach, Jorge Jesus, revealed at a press conference the day before the match that the plan is not for Cristiano Ronaldo to take the field for Portugal in Thursday's meeting with Denmark.
While the experienced coach would not rule out the possibility of Ronaldo coming on as a substitute, he said the star will not be in the starting lineup against Denmark.
He was asked if he had spoken to Ronaldo about playing, for instance, 30 minutes. "Of course I have - and perhaps even more. Ronaldo is never going to change my ideas. If I say he isn't coming on, then he isn't coming on," said Jesus.
Following the manager's comments, and just as the Portuguese team was about to begin a final preparatory training session at Parken on Wednesday evening, Ronaldo was seen leaving the stadium. Jorge Jesus had previously stated at the press conference that Ronaldo would take part in training.
Furthermore, it was reported that Ronaldo's private plane was flying to Copenhagen on Wednesday night, suggesting that he was going to leave the camp altogether.
"I am the coach. I set the agenda."
At Wednesday's press conference, the head coach began by saying he was willing to answer one or two questions about Ronaldo, but that three was too many. The Portuguese journalists did not accept that premise, and the conversation focused almost exclusively on Ronaldo for over half an hour.
"This is about Denmark, not Ronaldo. We have come here to face a good opponent," said Jorge Jesus.
Speaking in a firm voice and using emphatic gestures, the coach repeatedly stressed that he is the one in charge. "Ronaldo isn't going to play just because everyone is talking about him."
"I am the coach. I set the agenda."
Jesus was asked whether he had told Ronaldo he was not allowed to train with the squad, given that the 41-year-old had not taken part in team training sessions over the past few days. The coach dismissed this as a "crazy" claim: "Ronaldo is welcome to train with the team."
The national team coach further emphasised that Ronaldo trains hard to stay in peak condition, and that as this involves physical training, he is not always out on the pitch with the squad.
The 72-year-old also denied that Ronaldo is currently causing him the greatest authority issues of his career: "It is not unusual for problems to arise within a team."
The Portuguese Football Federation confirmed to journalists that Ronaldo didn't train in the session that followed the press conference, but made no additional comments.