Erik ten Hag has been mercilessly ridiculed by fans on social media after Jadon Sancho – who he knocked out at Manchester United – reached the Champions League final.
Ten Hag banned Sancho from training or eating with his teammates after a split in September and he did not play again before joining Dortmund on loan in January.
Sancho had publicly branded Ten Hag a liar for the reasons he dropped him in the 3-1 defeat to Arsenal in September and refused to apologise.
The manager’s principled handling of the row won him plaudits as it proved he trusted his own authority, even over £73million wonderkids.
However, that hasn’t stopped troublemakers on social media from going about their business and mocking Ten Hag, whose fortunes differ from Sancho’s.
Fans didn’t hold back as they jeered Erik ten Hag after Jadon Sancho reached the Champions League final
Sancho was dropped by Ten Hag at Manchester United after refusing to apologize to him, but is thriving on loan at Borussia Dortmund
Manchester United are eighth in the Premier League and have just lost 4-0 to Crystal Palace; Sancho is a rejuvenated man and one game away from winning the Champions League.
‘Jadon Sancho returns to England to play the Champions League final, while Erik Ten Hag’s boys won’t even get Conference League football next season. Interpret that however you wish,” one fan wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“If Jadon Sancho apologized to Erik ten Hag, he would be a bench player for the worst United team of the last 30 years, instead of playing in a Champions League final,” said another.
‘Jadon Sancho reached the final of the Champions League the day after Erik ten Hag saw his team lose 4-0. Damn,” one person wrote.
“Erik ten Hag eliminated Sancho for Antony to reach the Champions League final,” said one.
“Jadon Sancho is going to the UCL final, while Erik Ten Hag is on a losing streak and has no hope of European football next season,” someone commented, posting a photo of Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola laughing.
Manchester United are eighth in the Premier League and if they fail to climb the table they will post their worst result since the 1989-90 season.
Sancho’s stats on loan at Dortmund – three goals and two assists in 21 games – may not look particularly inspiring, but anyone who has watched him will have seen a man revived.
He made a name for himself in Dortmund between 2017 and 2021 and is rebuilding his reputation there match by match.
Picking up the top honors would only strengthen the affection the Yellow Wall have for him – leaving United fans wondering why they never saw the best of him.