Manchester United Manager Erik ten Hag told reporters Friday that Cristiano Ronaldo refused to enter Wednesday’s Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur as a substitute before walking off the pitch ahead of the final whistle.
Ronaldo has been left out of Manchester United’s lineup for Saturday’s match at Chelsea, though ten Hag said the Portuguese star “remains an important part of the squad.” But the manager also said Ronaldo needed to be punished, especially because he and a few other teammates already had been admonished for leaving the pitch early during a preseason friendly against Rayo Vallecano in July.