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Erik ten Hag has said he has punished Cristiano Ronaldo for failing to live up to the standards he has set at Manchester United.
Ronaldo has been disciplined by Ten Hag after refusing to get off the bench on Wednesday – revealed exclusively by Sportsmail on Thursday – and storming through the tunnel before leaving Old Trafford before turning full-time.
The Dutchman acted swiftly and sternly when he removed Ronaldo from the squad on Saturday for the trip to Chelsea and banned the 37-year-old from first-team training.
Ten Hag also revealed that he had dropped Ronaldo from a duel at Stamford Bridge for the sake of the squad and said he had little choice but to take action after the player was warned about leaving during the friendly match against Rayo Vallecano.
“I am the manager, I am responsible for the culture and I have to set and monitor standards and values,” said Ten Hag.
‘As a team we have norms and values. After Vallecano I said it was not acceptable, but he was not alone. The second time there are consequences and we did.
‘We’ll miss him tomorrow. It’s a miss, but his imp for the group’s mentality. We focus on Chelsea.
Erik ten Hag speaks publicly for the first time since Cristiano Ronaldo’s performance against Spurs
“I gave a warning at the beginning of the season and next time there must be consequences.
‘If you live together and play together, football is a team sport, you have to meet certain requirements and I have to keep control.’
Ronaldo arrived with the Under-21s on Friday and underwent individual training with a fitness coach as he got used to life in exile at United following the remarkable scenes at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.
Ten Hag also confirmed that Ronaldo is still part of his plans despite the incident. “He remains an important part of the team,” said the Dutchman.
United declined to comment on Thursday evening on whether Ronaldo has been fined for up to two weeks, which would cost him £1million.
Ronaldo was punished by Erik ten Hag after he stormed through the tunnel on Wednesday
Sportsmail revealed that Ronaldo refused to come off the bench in the game against Tottenham
Ten Hag had vowed to ‘deal’ with Ronaldo and the sentence, handed out Thursday during confrontation talks with Ronaldo, 37, in Carrington, has the full support of the Old Trafford hierarchy.
Ronaldo, who has since issued a statement on Instagram but stopped apologizing, went into the tunnel in the 89th minute, packed his things from the dressing room and left Old Trafford before the final whistle. The public nature of his departure meant that Ten Hag and United had no choice but to intervene.
His departure was initially believed to be in response to his being thrown on the bench, but it has since emerged that Ronaldo was told by Ten Hag to carry on before disapproving of his manager.
Ronaldo saw Friday arriving in Carrington, where he trained alone with a fitness coach
The incident was the latest in a strained relationship between the Portuguese star and Ten Hag, who has further stamped his authority on United with the way he has handled a difficult situation.
It is clear that the player has shown thinly veiled disdain for Ten Hag and his coaching team, to the extent of blatantly ignoring a senior staff figure.
Ronaldo was openly critical of the training and believes that United should play in a different way.
The players would be aware that Ronaldo and Ten Hag clash with each other on a daily basis, although it does not affect the atmosphere in the camp.
Reports have suggested the 37-year-old has lost his remaining allies in the locker room as a result of his latest public display of irritability.
Ronaldo posted a lengthy statement on Instagram on Thursday, but stopped apologizing
In an Instagram statement, Ronaldo said: “As I have always done in my career, I try to live and play respectfully towards my colleagues, my opponents and my coaches. That hasn’t changed.
‘I have not changed. I am the same person and professional that I have been in elite football for the past 20 years, and respect has always played a very important role in my decision-making process.
“I started very young, the examples of the older and most experienced players were always very important to me. That is why later I always tried to set the example myself for the youngsters that grew in all the teams that I represented.
‘Unfortunately, that’s not always possible and sometimes the heat of the moment takes over.
“Right now I just feel like I have to keep working hard in Carrington, supporting my teammates and being ready for anything in any given game. Giving in to the pressure is not an option. It never has been. This is Manchester United, and united we must stand. Soon we will be together again.’
The 37-year-old Portuguese star has cut a frustrated figure under Ten Hag so far this season
Ronaldo told the club he wanted to leave in the summer but was unable to leave, largely because of his huge wage demands. The only offer that came in for the player was from a team in Saudi Arabia, and Ronaldo would have wanted to go to a side in the Champions League.
Ten Hag still sees Ronaldo as a valuable member of the squad and sources said on Thursday evening there is no desire for the player to get adrift despite the latest fallout.
However, it is becoming increasingly clear that a parting of the ways would be best for both sides in the January transfer window, if Ronaldo can find a new club and United can sign a replacement striker.
The former Real Madrid attacker has often cut a frustrated figure under Ten Hag this season.
Ronaldo has struggled to start in the league, with the Dutchman largely opting for faster attackers who are more willing and able to apply pressure.
He was visibly annoyed that he was substituted on Sunday with 20 minutes left in the game against Newcastle, as United were chasing a winner. Marcus Rashford was brought in to replace him and missed a golden opportunity to win the match well into stoppage time.
Ronaldo was an unused substitute against Spurs after being passed by Ten Hag . was dropped on the couch