The coach did not punish the Portuguese in the Manchester derby
“I didn’t make him play out of respect for his sports career,” said the coach
One of the images that left the Manchester derby, Erling Haaland and Phil Foden apart, was seeing Cristiano Ronaldo warming up the bench at the Etihad Stadium. The Portuguese striker did not add a minute in one of the most important matches played in the Premier League because his manager, Erik ten Hag, did not want to disrespect him.
The Dutch coach justified the absence of the Portuguese in the Mancunian derby in this way: “I didn’t make him play because I respect his sports career,” snapped the coach of the ‘red devils’. It is necessary to remember that the relations between both are not very fluid and, even, they have been seen arguing on the pitch.
Follow the entire Premier League exclusively on DAZN. Subscribe now, you have a free trial month!
Cristiano, who has been a substitute in the last five games, seems to have faced the decline of his career, where not even in Portugal they resist attacking him. The ‘7’ was one of those pointed out by the fans of the ‘quinas’ after failing to qualify for the Final 4 of the Nations League.