Wayne Lumbasi
Cristiano Ronaldo says he feels “betrayed” by senior figures at Manchester United and has no respect for the club’s head coach Erik ten Hag after enduring a turbulent season at Old Trafford.
Ronaldo returned to his former club in the summer of 2021 and made an immediate impact, but he has had a difficult 2022 season that has been marred by disciplinary issues and a drop in form on the field.
He had requested to leave United after a disastrous campaign that saw them finish sixth, out of the Champions League spot. And ever since Erik ten Hag took over as manager, his bond with the team has deteriorated.
Ronaldo missed the majority of pre-season under the new manager, including an infamous half-time exit in United’s pre-season friendly against Rayo Vallecano in July. Ten Hag has since used him in a reduced role, and he was dropped entirely after leaving the field early against Tottenham in October and refusing to come on as a substitute.
Ronaldo slammed Ten Hag in an interview with Piers Morgan, saying: “I have no respect for him (Ten Hag) because he has no respect for me. If you don’t have respect for me, I won’t have respect for you.”
Ronaldo went on to say that he believes he has been portrayed as a “black sheep” at United, and he also addressed Wayne Rooney, who had previously criticized the five-time Ballon d’Or winner for his behavior:
“I’m not sure why he’s so harsh on me.probably because he’s finished his career and I’m still playing at a high level.”
Ronaldo’s contract with United expires at the end of the 2022/23 season, but the club has the option to extend it for another year.
