Cristiano Ronaldo has been left off Manchester United’s roster for Saturday’s match against Chelsea. Erik ten Hag was punished on a day when it was revealed that the forward has such a contentious relationship with certain members of the manager’s coaching staff that he limits his contact with them.
Ten Hag has removed Ronaldo after the player refused to come on as a substitute during Wednesday’s 2-0 victory over Tottenham and walked down the tunnel before the match’s conclusion. Ronaldo will not practice with the first team as they prepare for the match at Stamford Bridge. This decision has been supported by the club’s hierarchy. Ten Hag continues to request that he report to the training ground.
Given Ronaldo’s dissatisfaction with the club, it is believed that Ten Hag would be amenable to the 37-year-old leaving in January. The chief executive officer, Richard Arnold, would support the manager in this matter, although the forward’s weekly salary of almost £500,000 may make it impossible to reach an agreement with another team.
The player’s contract expires in June, and one alternative would be to offer him a payout of around half of his salary. If completed immediately, this would amount to approximately £8 million. Another option would be to allow him to move on a loan while continuing to pay him a portion of his salary.
Ronaldo’s unwillingness to interact with certain members of his inner circle is known to Ten Hag. Before the Dutchman took over in the summer, the Portugal international complained about some of the conditions at the club’s Carrington training center, and he was listened to. This, along with his professionalism and willingness to coach junior squad members, was warmly accepted by teammates, albeit his Wednesday escape through the Old Trafford tunnel may have hurt his popularity.
Ten Hag indicated he had not spoken with Ronaldo but will address the matter the following day. Ronaldo, who desired to leave Manchester United in the summer, appeared at Carrington on Thursday to discuss the incident with the manager, who then imposed the sanction.
Ronaldo responded to Ten Hag’s decision to remove him by sending a statement on Instagram on Thursday evening in which he accepted responsibility but refrained from apologizing. He wrote, “I’ve always tried to set a good example for the younger players in the teams I’ve represented.” “Unfortunately, that is not always possible, and the passion of the moment can occasionally get the best of us.
Currently, I feel I must continue to work hard in Carrington, support my teammates, and be prepared for anything in any given game. Not an option is yielding to the pressure. It was never. This is Manchester Unified, and we must remain united. We will be reunited soon.”
It was the second time in less than three months that Ronaldo had departed a United game before the final whistle. He also did so after being substituted at halftime during a friendly against Rayo Vallecano in July, departing Old Trafford with other players who were not in the matchday squad.
Later, Ten Hag stated that everyone had been disciplined, and it is believed he warned that the incident must never occur again. He is especially dissatisfied with Ronaldo’s actions on Wednesday since they disregarded the message and can be interpreted as disrespectful to him and the team.
Ronaldo will not play this weekend, even though Ten Hag’s first-choice No. 9, Anthony Martial, is injury-prone and Marcus Rashford prefers to operate on the left.
