Unlucky Pepe denied a Portugal comeback

Pepe has withdrawn from Portugal's first three upcoming World Cup qualifiers through injury. The 38-year-old was due to return to the national team for the first time since October. The former Real Madrid defender picked up a muscle injury in his right leg in Porto’s 2-1 league win at Portimonense on Saturday. Sporting defender Luis Neto will take Pepe's place in coach Fernando Santos' squad.

Despite this setback, Pepe is still enjoying a fantastic season as he helped his team eliminate Juventus from the Champions League and reach quarterfinals. Porto president Pinto da Costa believes that despite his age, Pepe could remain a stalwart in the club's defence for several more seasons.

"At the beginning of this season we had four important players whose contracts were running out: Pepe, Sergio Oliveira, Otavio and Moussa Marega. We decided that we wanted to renew with all four players and I myself decided that the first one had to be Pepe. Because of what he means to FC Porto, because everyone knows, and I know better than anyone, what he could have achieved if, instead of choosing to return to FC Porto, he had gone abroad. He would have earned at least three times as much. He came simply out of passion for our club. "

Portugal will begin their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign for Qatar against Azerbaijan in Turin on Wednesday in a match relocated to Italy for health reasons. The European champions then travel to Serbia on Saturday and Luxembourg three days later.

Goalkeeper Rui Patricio has also been forced to withdraw from the squad after failing to recover from a head injury sustained playing for his club Wolverhampton. He was replaced by Olympiakos goalkeeper Jose Sa.