The first excerpts of Cristiano Ronaldo's interview with Piers Morgan were shared on social media, and many people were quick to speculate that this meant the end of Ronaldo's career with Manchester United. The controversial claims that were made by the Portuguese attacker will undoubtedly elicit a response from the Reds, and that response will likely come sooner rather than later. How exactly the Reds will respond to the claims remains to be seen.
A number of former players and pundits, several of whom played with the 37-year-old Ronaldo, have come out in defense of the club's handling of the situation in response to Ronaldo's comments about his manager Erik ten Hag, former teammates, and overall treatment at Old Trafford. Ronaldo has come under intense criticism for his comments about Erik ten Hag, former teammates, and overall treatment at Old Trafford.
However, none of Ronaldo's club teammates have commented on the matter as of yet, which is understandable given that a number of them are currently serving their countries on international duty and will likely be awaiting instructions regarding how to respond if and when they are questioned about the matter. Despite this, United's players have previously discussed the necessity of following the instructions set out by Ten Hag, as well as the repercussions of not doing so, as the Dutchman has implemented a number of rules that need to be followed. In addition, the players have discussed the consequences of not following the instructions. Bruno Fernandes, prior to the beginning of the season, talked about the influence that the manager has had on the club ever since he arrived there, and he insisted that the team would be successful if they remained loyal to him.
When speaking in August, during United's preseason campaign, Fernandes insisted that players must follow Ten Hag's instructions and rules; otherwise, they risked being "punished" and kicked out of the team. This statement was made during the preseason.When asked about the demands made by the Dutchman, Fernandes stated the following to Sky Sports: "The main thing is following what he wants because I think he has a straight line that he wants to have with the team and I want to follow that straight line because I think we can be successful in that way."
He continued by saying: "What gives me confidence is that, just as it was at Sporting, it is now here, there is a straight line, and this is what we need to do. This is what gives me hope. Whoever doesn't follow through on this will be kicked off the team."Therefore, I believe that if everyone understands that we are required to adhere to the rules, as well as what the coach and the team require of us, then everyone will be on the same page.
"Therefore, this contributes to the success of the team. If we are successful as a team, then we will each be successful on an individual level as well. If we are able to fulfill all of Ten Hag's requests throughout the course of the season, I believe that the outcome will be positive for everyone involved.
"It's crystal clear; he laid out his demands very clearly, and he expects to receive them. Everyone who does not comply with his demands is aware that they will be disciplined for their disobedience.
"When we discuss discipline, we are referring to this aspect of it. Because he has made himself very clear, there is no way for you to get away from that. You don't need to know English to figure out how he wants to play the game; it's pretty straightforward."Therefore, I believe that it is very important for us to do that so that everyone is on the same page, and I believe that they will follow the line that he wants so that no one can get out of nothing with him.
"And I think the senior players have to make an important step on that too, making sure that everyone is on the same page and not letting anyone get away with anything," you said. "And I think that the senior players have to make an important step on that." When Ronaldo and Fernandes met face to face for the first time since the publication of the former's interview, it appeared as though Fernandes was irritated about the comments made by his teammates. In spite of this, Portugal midfielder Joao Mario has asserted that the two United players were joking about the late arrival of the Reds' number eight player.
"I was in the locker room at the time, and I saw pictures of them making a joke about it. It struck me as odd, given that Bruno was one of the last people to arrive, and Cristiano inquired as to whether or not he had arrived by boat (laughs). It was a joke that they shared; they often hang out together "he stated in front of the media during a press conference.
In the event that the two individuals decide to talk about the issue, the conversation will undoubtedly take place in private. Both Ronaldo's decision to take part in the interview and the content that was discussed during it will undoubtedly be subjects of discussion for Fernandes's point of view.
On the other hand, the comments that Fernandes made prior to the beginning of the campaign give the impression that Ten Hag will take a forceful approach to dealing with the fallout from Ronaldo's interview. It is widely believed that the veteran frontman has competed in his final game while wearing a Red shirt, and it would not be shocking in the least if this turned out to be the case.