Cristiano Ronaldo revealed in a recent interview that he would not respect Manchester United manager Eric Ten Haag and criticised Ralph Rangnick as well as several other players at the club. Ronaldo rejoined his former club in the summer of 2021 and got off to a good start, but endured a difficult 2022 with the season marred by behavioural incidents and a decline in form on the pitch.
It was learned in the summer that the 37-year-old asked to leave United after a dismal season as they finished sixth in the Champions League. Since Eric Haag took over, his relationship with the club has been constantly broken.
Ronaldo missed much of pre-season under the new manager and left infamous at half-time during United's pre-season friendly against Rayo Vallecano in July. He has since been used by Ten Haag as a substitute and was completely eliminated after leaving the pitch early against Tottenham Hotspur in October and refusing to play as a substitute in the match.
In an interview with Pierce Morgan, published by The Sun, Ronaldo criticized Ten Haag, saying: "I don't respect him (Ten Haag) because he didn't show respect for me. If you don't respect me, I will never respect you. ”
The 37-year-old also spoke about Rangnick, who temporarily took over from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after his sacks and witnessed Manchester United's 2021/22 season: "What would you do if you weren't even a coach? Manchester United owner? I've never even heard of him (Rangnick). ”
Ronaldo added that he felt he was considered a "black sheep" at Manchester United and also spoke about Wayne Rooney, who criticised the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's behaviour earlier this week: "I don't know why he criticised me so harshly... Probably because he ended his career prematurely and I'm still playing at a high level. ”
In a video clip released with the written interview, Ronaldo was asked if he felt he was kicked out of the club, to which he replied: "Yes. Not only the coach, but two or three other people around the club. Then, when Morgan asked about the others, he confirmed they were senior executives, adding: "I feel betrayed." ”
Asked if he felt like they were trying to get rid of him, Ronaldo admitted: "Honestly, I shouldn't have said that, I don't know, but listen, I don't care. People should listen to (hear) the truth. "Yes, I feel betrayed and I feel like there are people who don't want me here (at Manchester United), not only this year, but last year. Cristiano Ronaldo's contract with Manchester United expires at the end of the 2022/23 season, but the club could opt for a further year extension.