Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo refused to come on as a substitute against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, and as a disciplinary measure has been removed from the group.
Ronaldo, a substitute last Wednesday in the 2-0 home win, left through the dressing room tunnel with a few minutes remaining in the game after Ten Hag put him on the bench again. He is not part of the squad that will face Chelsea on Saturday.
“Yes,” Ten Hag told reporters on Friday when asked if the Portuguese veteran had refused to play. “I am the coach, I am responsible for the culture here, I have to set standards and values ??and I have to control them. In the team we have values ??and standards and I have to control that.”
“It will have a (moment of) reflection for him, but also for everyone else, I said at the beginning of the season that next time there have to be consequences, football is a team sport and you have to meet certain standards. And I have to control it,” he concluded.