Are Portugal more dangerous without Ronaldo? Norway boss gives his verdict

Norway head coach Ståle Solbakken was asked on Saturday whether Portugal are more dangerous without Cristiano Ronaldo, ahead of Sunday's clash between the two sides at the Estádio do Dragão.

"I think you could say it's the same either way, because we saw at the World Cup and throughout his career that when he plays, he scores goals," the manager told RTP, addressing the controversy surrounding the forward leaving Portugal's training camp.

"I haven't been following it too closely, but I think whatever happened, neither you, I, nor anyone in Portugal or around the world will forget him," he added.

"I think we are prepared for both scenarios. When he plays, he's obviously the main man. When he doesn't, the goalscoring responsibility is spread across more players," he explained.

When pressed on the issue by Sport TV, Solbakken kept his response brief: "I don't know, I haven't thought much about it. We have our own problems to deal with."

Asked who would take centre stage in this Nations League clash, he pointed to the collective effort: "I don't know, they are a very good team. We also need to be good and defensively strong," he stated, stressing that it will be "very tough" and "a good test."

"They have a new manager, they press well, and they are well-organised in every department," he analysed, before being asked about a potential start for Gonçalo Ramos: "I don't know, maybe Fábio Silva will play. They have a lot of quality players."