Cristiano Ronaldo caused trouble at Manchester United with his premature escape from a late substitution, and the superstar was briefly suspended. Now the Portuguese is back. His coach will make it clear where he sees the superstar in a non-glamorous Europa League game.
Cristiano Ronaldo has returned to Manchester United training. On Tuesday, the 37-year-old soccer star was allowed to practice with his teammates again after coach Erik ten Hag suspended him last Thursday. The reason for the ban was Ronaldo’s premature exit from the Premier League game against Tottenham, when the substitute left the interior of the stadium before the final whistle. After the scandal, Ten Hag ordered individual sessions for Ronaldo with the club’s fitness trainers and also did not consider him for the league game at Chelsea (1-1).
“It’s a difficult decision, of course,” the coach said last week, but made it clear that he had to take action after Ronaldo’s behavior. “It’s about the club. I have to make decisions in the interests of the club and especially the team. That’s my job.” It’s not about a player’s name, reputation or age. “I pick the team that I think has the best chance of winning.” That’s what happened against Tottenham (2-0), when Ronaldo, as so often this season, was only allowed to sit on the bench – and expressed his displeasure just before the final whistle in a special way. He is available again for the Europa League home game on Thursday against Sheriff Tiraspol (9 p.m. / RTL).
The game, which is really not particularly important in the club’s historical context, should be another indication of the status of the superstar at the moment – and what damage Ronaldo’s premature interior flight has caused in the internal relationship with the coach and the team – even if ten Hag announced that the 37-year-old’s quick reintegration was appropriate.
Because while Ronaldo in the Premier League, the highest internal competition for Manchester United, only comes off the bench – or not – he was allowed to play in the Europa League in each of the four previous games from the start. The unloved competition, from which the superstar, spoiled by success, absolutely wanted to flee to some Champions League club before the season, has become his new sporting home. If ten Hag put him on the bench there too, that would be a clear sign of a lasting upset.
