Italy coach Roberto Mancini is "very sorry" Cristiano Ronaldo will not be involved when Portugal visit San Siro in the Nations League on Saturday.
Ronaldo has not featured for his country since the World Cup, with coach Fernando Santos and the country's Football Federation affording him a break.
It remains unclear as to when Juventus star Ronaldo will return to action for Portugal and he is unlikely to feature before March, though his self-imposed exile could continue later into 2019.
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Nevertheless, the European champions have prospered in Ronaldo's absence, recording three wins and a draw in the four matches they have played since an underwhelming last-16 World Cup exit to Uruguay.