Manchester United’s 1-0 defeat at Everton on Saturday not only severely reduced the Red Devils’ prospects of participating in the upcoming Champions League, it also got on the nerves of superstar Cristiano Ronaldo – possibly with him legal consequences for the Portuguese.
After the final whistle, Cristiano Ronaldo, physically and emotionally drained from the game, limped towards the catacombs when his fuses blew. Videos have been circulating online showing the striker slapping the phone out of the hands of a young fan who was filming the march on his cellphone. The trailer reacted visibly shocked, Ronaldo trudged on without comment.
Compared to the “Liverpool Echo” Sarah Kelly, the mother of the fan, has now commented on the incidents. Ronaldo “attacked” and “hurt” her son, according to Kelly. “After the game, the United players left the field. We were seated near the players’ tunnel so they passed right by us and my son filmed everything. He filmed all the United players and then put his phone down as Ronaldo pulled his socks down and his knee was bleeding. He didn’t even say anything,” the eyewitness continued.
Ronaldo then walked past them with “a terrible, terrible temper, slapped the phone out of my son’s hand and kept walking.” “You can see the injuries that the contact left. I can’t believe what I’m talking about,” Kelly continued. Her son, who suffers from autism, is “completely in shock”. As a mother, she sees it this way: “He is an autistic boy and was attacked by a footballer.”
The report contains photos of the injuries and the destroyed mobile phone, which should prove Ronaldo’s dropouts.
Police have started investigations
Shortly after the incident, Ronaldo probably also had some insight. “It’s never easy to deal with emotions in difficult moments like the one we’re living through. Still, we must always be respectful and patient, as well as being a role model for all young people who love the beautiful game. I apologize for my outburst and, if possible, invite that fan to watch a game at Old Trafford as a show of fair play and sportsmanship,” the superstar wrote on Instagram.
However, Merseyside Police have now launched an investigation. “We can confirm that we are in contact with Manchester United and Everton FC following reports of an alleged assault at the Everton v Manchester United football match at Goodison today (Saturday 9 April 2022),” quoted the Liverpool Echo “A spokesman for the agency.
He continued: “Investigations are ongoing and officers are currently working with Everton Football Club to review CCTV footage and are conducting extensive witness inquiries to determine if an offense has taken place.”