Cristiano Ronaldo has said he feels “betrayed” by Manchester United, suggesting that coach Erik Ten Hag and other senior executives are trying to force him out of the club.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who returned to Old Trafford at the start of last season, has been a peripheral figure on the pitch since Ten Hag took charge this year.
Last month, Ten Hag said Ronaldo refused to come on as a substitute against Tottenham Hotspur and then walked down the tunnel with minutes remaining.
He is not in the squad to face Chelsea next Saturday.
While he has returned to action in recent weeks, and even captained the Reds in their 1-3 loss to Aston Villa last weekend, the 37-year-old was absent from the squad for the first time. Sunday’s 2-1 win over United’s Fulham. last game before a six-week break for the World Cup.
Ronaldo “I don’t respect the coach”
Ronaldo by ETH: Declared his intention to leave, refused to come on as a substitute, left the bench and left before the game was over.
99% of United fans will side with ETH, which shows how badly Ronaldo has handled this.
– Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) November 13, 2022
“I don’t respect him because he doesn’t respect me,” Ronaldo said of Ten Hag in an interview on Sunday. “Not just the coach but two or three other people around the club. I feel betrayed.”
Asked again if the club’s senior executives were trying to oust him, Ronaldo replied: “Yes, I feel betrayed and I feel like some people don’t want me there. here, not only this year but last year as well.”
Ronaldo said Manchester United did not support him when his daughter was taken to hospital in July. He said the club were suspicious of him and showed a lack of sympathy when he failed to arrive on time for pre-season training.
Ronaldo’s first stint at United was a glorious one under Alex Ferguson, winning three Premier League titles, the Champions League and his first Ballon d’Or.
Despite scoring 24 goals in all competitions last season, United endured a bad campaign as they finished sixth in the Premier League and failed to qualify for the Champions League.
He criticized the club’s decision to replace coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, a former teammate of his, with Ralf Rangnick last season.
Rangnick has left his role as head of sports and development for Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow to take over at Old Trafford.
“After the club sacked Ole, they brought in the sporting director Rangnick, which is something no one understands,” Ronaldo said. “This guy, he’s not even a coach. A club as big as Manchester United bringing in a sporting director surprised not only me but the whole world.”
Ronaldo was then said to have tried to design an exit before the start of this season, but was unable to reach an agreement with another club.
“Since Sir Alex left, I have not seen any evolution in the club. Nothing has changed,” Ronaldo said of what he found when he returned to United. “I want the best for the club. This is why I came to Manchester United.
“But you have some things inside that don’t help [us] reaching the highest level like (Manchester) City, Liverpool and even now Arsenal… a club of this size in my opinion must be top notch and they are not, unfortunately.”
United are currently fifth in the league, 11 points behind leaders Arsenal, as football clubs take a break for the World Cup.
A club legend, the greatest of all time, you disrespected him and you didn’t want him to talk.
Ronaldo has nothing to lose in football anymore and he must be treated with the utmost respect.
You stop him from leaving and you want to disrespect him? NEVER
— POOJA!!! (@poojaMedia) November 14, 2022
