Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will not make the trip for Saturday’s match at Chelsea after he left the bench before the full-time whistle of Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.
“Cristiano Ronaldo will not be part of the Manchester United squad for this Saturday’s Premier League game against Chelsea,” United said in a brief statement. “The rest of the squad is fully focused on preparing for that fixture.”
ESPN’s Rob Dawson reported that Ronaldo didn’t train with first-team players on Thursday and isn’t due to rejoin the squad until Monday. Meanwhile, sources told ESPN that CR7 left Old Trafford before manager Erik ten Hag and teammates returned to the dressing room shortly after Wednesday’s victory.
It was back in August when Ten Hag verbally lashed out at Ronaldo and Diogo Dalot after they were pictured exiting Old Trafford before the final whistle of a friendly against Rayo Vallecano. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was routinely being linked with a summer move away from United at the time but remained with the club until the transfer window closed.
“It is unacceptable for everyone,” Ten Hag said about Ronaldo and Dalot in August. “I am telling them it’s unacceptable. We are a team. A squad. Until the end we stay together.”
Former Aston Villa striker and current TalkSport personality Gabriel Agbonlahor blasted Ronaldo during a Thursday appearance on the London sports radio station before it was announced the forward won’t feature against Chelsea.
“Ronaldo is a spoilt brat, let’s be honest,” Agbonlahor said. “He’s 37, he’s had the best career and is probably one of the best players to play the game. Your team, who you’re meant to love, are playing the best football that they’ve played in years and absolutely battered Spurs. They play better without him.”
Agbonlahor added:
“You can’t do that. It’s so disrespectful to your teammates and if I’m the players in the changing room with Ronaldo after the game and find out about it, I want my manager to make a statement. I’d leave Ronaldo out of the Chelsea game.”
