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Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has refused to deny that he deliberately got himself booked in Portugal's Friday night qualifier against Israel.

The winger picked up a needless yellow card in stoppage time, a caution that rules him out of the Selecão's final group game with Luxembourg.

Ronaldo will now miss Tuesday's match but will be clear to feature in both legs of Portugal's likely playoff tie.

In order for the Portuguese to qualify automatically they'd need to overturn a seven-goal advantage that Russia have on them, hoping that the group-topping Russians are beaten by Azerbaijan.

When asked by journalists whether he had deliberately got himself in the book, Ronaldo told reporters, "I can't talk about that."

"FIFA is always very attentive to those situations. The play-off is the most important and I don't want to be out. I will be at those two matches."

The Madrid man could even have been sent off earlier in the game, as he aimed a frustrated kick at Israel's Eran Zahavi which should have seen him red-carded.