Manchester United veteran Cristiano Ronaldo surfaced with a statement addressing the ‘storming-off’ incident from the club’s home fixture against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, 19 October 2022.
Cristiano Ronaldo addresses ‘storming-off’ incident
The 37-year-old attacker was a non-starter in the fixture, and right when he believed coach Erik Ten Hag would bring him on for the remaining minutes of the match, he quickly found out that he was nowhere close to being part of the evening’s plans.
United were already sailing by then, with two goals netted against a lacklustre Spurs. Instead of embracing the stylish victory, Ronaldo stormed off into the tunnel and past the changing rooms to his car with a few minutes left in the match.
Consequently, United released a statement standing by Ten Hag and noting the decision made to axe the star forward from the squad facing Chelsea FC this weekend.
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“Cristiano will not be part of the Man United team for this Saturday’s game against Chelsea. Rest of the squad is fully focused on preparing for that fixture”, the statement read.
Faced with mounting criticism from the football world, Ronaldo surfaced on social media with a statement addressing the ‘storming-off’ incident.
The 37-year-old reiterated he still maintains the professional attitude he’s upheld for the past two decades of “playing elite football”.
Ronaldo admitted his actions were not the best representation of leadership to the younger players in the squad who look up to him.
“…I’ve always tried to set the example myself for the youngsters that grew in all the teams that I’ve represented. Unfortunately that’s not always possible and sometimes the heat of the moment get’s the best of us,” he wrote.
Ronaldo vowed to keep his head held high and work hard to earn a place in Ten Hag’s team.
“Giving in to the pressure is not an option. It never was. This is Manchester United, and united we must stand. Soon we’ll be together again,” he said.
Chelsea FC vs Manchester United: Kick-off times, how to watch
United face another tough outing this weekend against a rejuvenated Chelsea side who will look to distance themselves from The Red Devils in fifth place.
The away fixture takes place on Saturday, 21 October 2022, at Stamford Bridge. In South Africa, the live match will air on SuperSport at 18:00.
