'I felt betrayed': Cristiano Ronaldo claims Manchester United is trying to force him out

Ronaldo claims he is being 'pushed out', as Kelly Foran reports on ITV Evening News.

Cristiano Ronaldo has claimed Manchester United bosses "kind of didn't believe" that his newborn daughter was ill in hospital.

In the latest clips released from an explosive 90-minute interview with TalkTV, Ronaldo said the reason he did not go on United’s pre-season tour of Australia was due to partner Georgina Rodriguez and newborn daughter Bella Esmeralda being in hospital. Speaking in a TalkTV interview which aired on Monday evening, he said: “I spoke with the director and the president of Manchester United and they kind of didn’t believe that something was going wrong, which (made) me feel bad. “They believe but in the same way. I am never ever going to change the health of my family for football. Never. Now or 10 years behind or forward, and it is something that really hurt me because they doubt my words."

In the interview with Piers Morgan, which will air in two parts on Wednesday and Thursday, Ronaldo also claimed that Manchester United’s owners, the Glazer family, do not care about the club.

Ronaldo insisted he does not speak to the family, who have owned United since 2005, and alleged they do not have the club’s best interests at heart.

“They will get money from the marketing – the sport, it’s, they don’t really care, in my opinion," he said. In an excerpt released on Sunday night, Ronaldo claimed he has been “betrayed” and turned into a "black sheep" by Manchester United and believes they are trying to force him out of the club.

The Portugal star claimed head coach Erik ten Hag and others want him out of Old Trafford.

When asked if United’s hierarchy were trying to force him out of the club, Ronaldo said: “Yes, not only the coach, but another two or three guys around the club. I felt betrayed.”

When quizzed again if senior club executives were trying to oust him, the 37-year-old said: “I don’t care. People should listen to the truth.

“Yes, I felt betrayed and I felt like some people don’t want me here, not only this year, but last year too.”

Ronaldo revealed he did not respect boss ten Hag, admitting: “I don’t have respect for him because he doesn’t show respect for me. If you don’t have respect for me, I’m never gonna have respect for you.”

Ronaldo refused to come on as a substitute in last month’s win over Tottenham, leading to him being banished from the squad for the subsequent trip to Chelsea, although he then returned to the fold.

Ronaldo, who was heavily linked with a move away from Old Trafford in the summer, also hit out at former United team-mate Wayne Rooney over criticism the former had received for refusing to come on against Spurs.

Morgan revealed in The Sun that Ronaldo said: “I don’t know why he criticises me so badly… probably because he finished his career and I’m still playing at a high level.

“I’m not going to say that I’m looking better than him. Which is true…”

Ronaldo also claimed United had not progressed as a club since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013.

Ronaldo, who played under Ferguson for six years during his first spell at United before joining Real Madrid in 2009, said: “I don’t know what is going on, but since Sir Alex Ferguson left I saw no evolution in the club, the progress was zero.

"For example, we have an interesting point that how the club as Manchester United after (they) sack Ole (Gunnar Solskjaer), they buy – they bring (in), sports director Ralf Rangnick, which is something that nobody understands.

"This guy is not even a coach. A bigger club like Manchester United brings (a) sports director – surprised not only me but all the world, you know.

“Nothing changed. Surprisingly. Not only the pool, the jacuzzi, even the gym…Even some points, the technology, the kitchen, the chefs, which is, I appreciate, lovely persons.

“They stopped in a time, which surprised me a lot. I thought I will see different things…different, as I mentioned before, technology, infrastructure.

“But unfortunately, we see many things that I used to see when I was 20, 21, 23. So, it surprised me a lot.”

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