While reactions have trailed Cristiano Ronaldo’s announcement of his discontent with the Manchester United club, it is safe to say that we saw it coming.
The Portugal international, who is no stranger to speaking up and forcing things to go his way, granted an interview to popular UK TV personality Piers Morgan, where he lambasted his club for the way he has been treated since his return to the club last summer.
In a shocking interview that has sent shockwaves around the world, Ronaldo accused Man United club officials of trying to force him out of the club, saying he has no respect for manager Erik Ten Hag and feels ‘betrayed’.
“I don’t have respect for him because he doesn’t show respect for me,” Ronaldo told Morgan.
“Some people, they don’t want me here – not only the coach but the other two or three guys. Not only this year, but last year too.
“Honestly, I shouldn’t say that. But listen, I don’t care. People should listen to the truth. Yes, I feel betrayed.”
While fans and pundits continue to gloss over the news and draw their conclusions, it is worth recalling that the Portugal international had revealed that he would speak up about the situation at Manchester United during the summer.
Last summer, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner told Manchester United that he wanted to leave for a new club due to their lack of Champions League football on the back of a miserable 21/22 campaign.
However, despite his desire to move elsewhere, the Old Trafford club under Ten Hag insisted that he was part of the club’s plan for the season, causing him to stay remain at the club.
The rumours intensified when the Portuguese international missed the club’s pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia, though due to family/personal reasons. However, while the speculations raged about the actual situation of things in the summer, Ronaldo came out publicly to criticise the press, stating that so many lies were being told about him.
In August, amidst the club’s poor start to the season, Ronaldo took to Instagram to state that the media were telling lies about him.
He wrote: “They know the truth when they interview in a couple of weeks. The media is telling lies.
“I have a notebook and in the last few months of the 100 news I made, only 5 were right. Imagine how it is. Stick with that tip.”
Meanwhile, Piers Morgan has revealed that Ronaldo approached him about doing the controversial interview.
“Cristiano asked me to do it. Simple as that. I didn’t ask him, he asked me. He’s been thinking about this for a while. It’s no secret he has built up deep frustration about what has been happening at United,” Morgan told talkSPORT.
“He feels he has to speak out, he knows it will be incendiary, will rattle some changes, but he also feels he should be doing this. He knows people will criticise him, but he also knows what he is saying is true.
“Sometimes the truth hurts. He’s been thinking about this for a while and I got a call. The World Cup is about to start. It gives him a month away from United and it gives him time for what he has said to settle in. He can come back and resolve things.
“He loves Manchester United and the fans, but what he has come,” said Morgan.
