Paris Saint-Germain left-back Nuno Mendes will be absent from the pitch for several weeks due to a knee sprain, missing the Portuguese football team, the French club announced this Wednesday, November 5th.
Nuno Mendes, regular starter for the team led by Roberto Martínez, is injured with “a sprain in his left knee”, revealed the European champions, adding that he will “be under medical care in the coming weeks”.
The Portuguese team will face the Republic of Ireland, on November 13th, in Dublin, for Group F of European qualification for the 2026 World Cup, and, three days later, they will host Armenia, at the Estádio do Dragão, in Porto.
On the fifth round, a victory in Ireland guarantees the national team qualification for the 2026 World Cup, but a draw could even be enough if Hungary does not win in Armenia.
The Portuguese team leads the group with 10 points, five more than Hungary, second placed, followed by Ireland, with four, and Armenia, with three.
The winner of the group secures a place in the final phase of the tournament that will be played next year, in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and which for the first time will have 48 teams. The second-placed team will have to compete in the play-offs.