Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has insisted he is still counting on Cristiano Ronaldo for the rest of the season, despite the Portuguese leaving the Red Devils out of the squad for the game against Chelsea.
Ronaldo faced the ax after bursting into the tunnel before the match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur ended.
Erik ten Hag had said he would negotiate with the Portuguese, and following confrontational talks between the two, Man Utd confirmed Ronaldo will not be in the squad for the trip to Stamford Bridge.
Ronaldo has since issued a statement, suggesting the heat of the moment got the better of him, but stopped short of apologising.
Erik ten Hag insists Cristiano Ronaldo is still important for Man Utd
Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of Man Utd vs Chelsea, Ten Hag insisted that he still has Ronaldo for the rest of the season. He also insisted that Ronaldo remains an important part of the Man Utd team.
Ten Hag also confirmed that Ronaldo’s suspension is only for the match against Chelsea when asked if it could go on for longer. “It’s for this game, and then we continue,” Ten Hag said. “I’m open to that and to me, that’s a strike.
“What we are keeping in the statement is that Cristiano continues to be an important part of the squad and I am counting on him for the rest of the season. We want to fulfill our ambitions.”
Meanwhile, it was not the first time that Ronaldo had left Old Trafford before the Man Utd match was over. Ronaldo and several players who were not in the day’s squad left Old Trafford before the end of their friendly with Rayo Vallecano.
Ten Hag had warned his players back then after stating in an interview that he does not approve of their actions.
Meanwhile, Man Utd produced arguably their best performance since Ten Hag took charge of their victory over Tottenham Hotspur. The Red Devils secured a 2-0 victory over the Spurs, thanks to goals from Fred and Bruno Fernandes in the second half.
Man Utd take on Chelsea in their next match. Chelsea is fourth in the Premier League table with 20 points, and Man Utd is fifth with 19 points. The Old Trafford side could overtake Chelsea if things go well when the two teams meet at Stamford Bridge.
The match between Man Utd and Chelsea kicks off at 10:00 pm Indian Standard Time.
