Cristiano Ronaldo will not be part of Manchester United’s squad for the crucial clash against Chelsea on Saturday.
The 37-year-old stormed off the pitch before the full-time whistle against Tottenham Hotspur, with Erik ten Hag still having two substitutions left.
The striker has been widely criticised for his behaviour.
When Ten Hag was quizzed about this event in the post-match, he confirmed that he would ‘deal’ with the situation on Thursday.
It looks like the manager has reinforced his authority and has the club’s full support.
A statement from Man United said: “Cristiano will not be part of the Manchester United squad for this Saturday’s game against Chelsea. The rest of the squad is fully focused on preparing for that fixture.”
The Daily Mail has further revealed that Ronaldo not only walked off the pitch but also refused to come on as a late substitute.
If this is true, Ronaldo’s time at Old Trafford can be considered as good as done.
Ten Hag is not a manager who will let the players affect his decisions.
In his few months in charge, it is clear that he wants his players to be disciplined.
If they are not, he is ready to punish them, no matter how important that individual is to the club.
Ronaldo wanted to leave United in the summer, but his agent Jorge Mendes failed to find an exit route.
However, the relationship between the five-time Ballon d’Or winner and the manager has reached breaking point now.
Walking off the pitch in the middle of the game is disrespectful to his teammates and fans.
United have done well to support Ten Hag, as this will help him keep control of the dressing room.
