Cristiano Ronaldo missed Portugal training for a third day running, ratcheting up the tension inside the national team camp. The absence came just minutes after coach Jorge Jesus had confirmed his captain would take part in the session in Copenhagen.
According to Portuguese newspaper "A Bola", Ronaldo left the Parken stadium in the Danish capital on Wednesday in a car belonging to the Portuguese Football Federation, just as his team-mates began to appear on the pitch. Only Francisco Conceição stayed behind alongside him.
"Record" published a video clip of the moment Ronaldo departed.
Jesus's remarks inflamed the situation
His exit came only a few minutes after the pre-match press conference before the Denmark game, where Jorge Jesus insisted the 41-year-old striker would train while hinting he might again be left out of the starting line-up.
Jesus said: "Yesterday, he did not refuse to train. Francisco Conceição did not train because he was injured, and João Félix because we tried to reduce fatigue, while Cristiano did work in the gym. Today he will train. It is the fourth day, and therefore he will train."
The Portuguese coach also made clear who holds the power over selection.
He said: "I can promise what I want. I am the coach. I told the player that he will not start the match, and he will be on the bench. If I need him for 30 minutes he will play, and if I do not need him he will not play. No player will change my thinking, neither him nor anyone else in football, not even any president, that will never happen."
Jesus also revealed that Gonçalo Ramos would start against Denmark.
A new absence
On Tuesday in Malmö, Ronaldo had at least walked onto the pitch and lingered for several minutes before training began. This time he did not go up at all.
Instead, the captain returned to the squad's accommodation in a Federation car. The Federation had earlier explained that the gym at the Malmö stadium lacked the specialist equipment needed for his tailored training programme, which was why he went back to the hotel.
No official explanation has yet emerged from the Portuguese Federation for Ronaldo's absence from Wednesday's session, despite Jesus confirming only minutes earlier that he would be there.
João Félix was the most notable of those back in training on the eve of the Denmark match. Pedro Proença, president of the Portuguese Football Federation, watched on from the stands.
Jesus, meanwhile, confirmed Francisco Conceição would sit out the Denmark match in the third round of the UEFA Nations League.
What is the cause of the crisis?
The roots of the row trace back to how Ronaldo's involvement against Norway was handled. The captain stayed on the bench for the entire match, despite Jesus having said beforehand that he would feature even without starting.
After the win, Ronaldo went straight down the tunnel and skipped the pitch session with the other substitutes the following day.
He did travel to the "Eleda" stadium the next day, walking out onto the pitch alone before leaving a short time later. The Portuguese Federation said he returned to the hotel because the stadium gym lacked the equipment required for his specialist training programme.
Pedro Proença changed his plans in response, joining the senior camp rather than attending the under-21 match. He travelled to Denmark once more for an urgent meeting with Jesus and Ronaldo.
That meeting took place on Wednesday morning at Portugal's team hotel in Malmö, and was described as calm and friendly.
Jesus and Ronaldo had already sat down on Tuesday evening to talk things through, trying to defuse the tension that had followed the Norway match.