UEFA Nations League, Italy 0-0 Portugal: 5 Talking Points

#2 Portugal give a glimpse into post-Ronaldo future

The Seleccao are breaking away from Ronaldo dependancy

Cristiano Ronaldo has been on an international sabbatical since the World Cup concluded. He didn't feature in the inaugural Nations League even once and yet, Portugal have become the first team to advance to the next round. Now that's a testament to the talent in this team.

Even without their prolific skipper, the Seleccao barely struggled to find the net while the defense is improving too. Manager Fernando Santos has had plenty of options on all parts of the pitch. Since the defeat to Uruguay in the World Cup, he hasn't seen his side on the losing end.

Now Italy and Poland aren't exactly big draws as the likes of France, England and Spain could've posed greater threats. But Portugal have emerged victorious against both the aforementioned sides sans Ronaldo and that's saying something about a team commonly accused of chronic dependency on their No.7.

The Juventus star is going to return to the fold imminently for the next round, but the foreseeable future of this team without him looks secure.