After being left off the Manchester United roster for Saturday's Premier League match against Chelsea, Cristiano Ronaldo issued a statement. The 37-year-old was not used as a substitute as United defeated Tottenham Hotspur 2-0at Old Trafford on Wednesday night thanks to goals from Bruno Fernandes and Fred.
The game was winding down when Ronaldo, who cut a furious figure on the bench, decided to stroll down the tunnel, and it is believed that he departed the stadium before the final horn.
Soon after the game, Red Devils head coach Erik ten Hag said he will "deal with the matter."
Since then, United has confirmed that Ronaldo has been left off the first-team roster for the team's match against Chelsea on Saturday.
A brief statement on their official website read:
"Cristiano Ronaldo will not be part of the Manchester United squad for this Saturday's Premier League game against Chelsea. The rest of the squad is fully focused on preparing for that fixture."
Ronaldo has since taken to social media on Thursday evening to respond to his axe from the United first-team squad, and he claims that "the heat of the moment gets the best of us."
A statement posted from the forward on Instagram read:
"As I've always done throughout my career, I try to live and play respectfully towards my colleagues, my adversaries and my coaches. That hasn't changed. I haven't changed."
"I'm the same person and the same professional that I've been for the last 20 years playing elite football, and respect has always played a very important role in my decision making process."
"I started very young, the older and most experienced players examples were always very important to me. Therefore, later on, 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 gets the best of us."
"Right now, I just feel that I have to keep working hard in Carrington, support my teammates and be ready for everything in any given game. 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."
Daily According to The Mirror, Ronaldo has been fined a hefty £1 million and is no longer allowed to train with the first squad for the next three days. Ronaldo's long-term status at Old Trafford is still up in the air, and it's unclear if he's even played his final match for the team.
In only six of his 12 outings across all competitions this season, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, whose contract expires in June 2023, has started, he has only managed to score twice.
Marcus Rashford, an England international, was chosen over the Portuguese icon to lead the line against Tottenham, and he is anticipated to keep that position for Saturday's game away at Chelsea.
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