Portugal manager Fernando Santos appeared to aim a thinly-veiled dig at Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as he claimed Cristiano Ronaldo 'needs playing time'.
Ronaldo was benched for Manchester United's Premier League fixture against Everton despite scoring a last-gasp winner against Villarreal in the Champions League a few days earlier.
Solskjaer's decision to drop the 36-year-old didn't work out as Man United drew 1-1 with Everton.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is currently on international duty, with his national team boss not best pleased with the superstar forward's game-time this season.
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Ahead of Portugal's international friendly against Qatar, he said: "He [Ronaldo] will go to the game [against Qatar] because he needs playing time. It's important to him at this stage.
"The last full game he played was in the Champions League [against Villarreal on September 29].
"If he only plays against Luxembourg, he will have practically 15 days without playing with intensity.
"At this point I will say that there are strong possibilities of Ronaldo going to the game against Qatar, either starting or coming on later during the second half, so that the competitive rhythms are at their maximum against Luxembourg."
Ronaldo has been in blistering form since rejoining Man United, scoring five goals in all competitions - making Solskjaer's decision to bench him more baffling.
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Once the international break is over, Man United resume their league campaign away at Leicester City.
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Manchester United, Portugal, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Cristiano Ronaldo