Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has ignited the next level in the months-simmering dispute with Manchester United and publicly attacked the Premier League club in an explosive interview. The English record champions reacted a little later.
“Manchester United takes note of the media coverage of an interview by Cristiano Ronaldo. The club will only reconsider its reaction once the full facts are available,” said a statement from the fifth-placed player.
In a conversation with the British journalist Piers Morgan, from which the tabloid “Sun” quoted in advance, the 37-year-old Ronaldo complained that he had been “betrayed” by the English record champions.
The Red Devils made him the “black sheep” for everything that went wrong there, Ronaldo said. Now he is actively being pushed out of the club. CR7 spoke of the “most difficult period of my life” both professionally and personally.
There has been “zero development” at United since the departure of iconic coach Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, he rumbled. Everyone knows that the club is “on the wrong track”. “The one who doesn’t see that doesn’t want to see it or is blind,” Ronaldo said.
Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United only substitute
The multiple world footballer switched back to United in the summer of 2021 after a three-year interlude at Juventus Turin. He had already played there between 2003 and 2009.
Ronaldo’s second guest appearance in Manchester turned out to be a fiasco.
Since the new coach Erik ten Hag took office last summer, the 2016 European champion has only played a supporting role at United.
Harsh words against Erik ten Hag and Ralf Rangnick
In his surprisingly candid interview, Ronaldo did not leave a good hair on the Dutch coach.
“I have no respect for him because he shows no respect for me. If you don’t respect me, I will never respect you,” said the five-time Champions League winner about ten Hag.
Ralf Rangnick, who steered United’s fortunes as interim coach for a few months last season, also got off extremely badly in Ronaldo’s all-round hit.
“How can you be a Manchester United coach if you’re not even a coach? I had never heard of him,” shared the superstar in the direction of the current Austrian national coach.