Sneijder: 'Man Utd have gone downhill since Ten Hag removed Ronaldo'

According to former Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder, all of Man Utd's current problems stem from the breakdown of the relationship between coach Erik ten Hag and Cristiano Ronaldo at the end of 2022.

After contributing 24 goals in the 2021-2022 season but not being able to help Man Utd qualify for the Champions League, Ronaldo wanted to move to another club. He therefore joined the team late at the beginning of the 2022-2023 season, leading to a conflict with new coach Ten Hag. The Dutch coach then put Ronaldo on the bench, explaining why he did not use him in the 3-6 loss to Man City out of "respect" and punished him for leaving early in the match against Tottenham.

In response, in November 2022, the Portuguese striker accused Man Utd of "betraying" him and publicly criticized Ten Hag in a 90-minute interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored. More than a week later, the Old Trafford owner terminated Ronaldo's contract half a year early. Currently, the Portuguese legend plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr under a contract until June 2025, with the world's highest salary of 75 million USD per year (if advertising and sponsorship are included, the figure can earn 200 million USD per year).

Coach Ten Hag and Ronaldo on the sidelines of the Man Utd - Liverpool match in the Premier League on February 22, 2022. Photo: Reuters.

Under Ten Hag's leadership, Man Utd have always been unstable. Typically, this season, they were eliminated early in the Champions League, the League Cup and are currently sixth in the Premier League with 54 points after 34 matches - 13 points behind the fourth-placed team Aston Villa, so they certainly cannot make it into the top 4, which means losing their place in the Champions League next season.

"In my opinion, Ten Hag made a mistake the day he decided to start a war with Ronaldo. That was the moment he started to lose all respect," Sneijder told the Dutch website Veronica Offside . "He thought it was the right decision, but the reality was completely the opposite. Everyone in the dressing room doubted the integrity of Ten Hag's decision."

There has been a major shake-up at Man Utd, with billionaire Jim Ratcliffe taking control of the football side. They have recently appointed Jason Wilcox as technical director and Dan Ashworth as sporting director. Ten Hag's future is therefore uncertain.

Sneijder was a star midfielder at Ajax, Real Madrid and Inter. His peak was the 2009-2010 season, when he won the treble with Inter. Sneijder also played impressively for the Netherlands national team, reaching the 2010 World Cup final with his teammates. Due to injuries and loss of form, Sneijder left Inter for Galatasaray in 2013. After a short time playing for Nice and Al-Gharafa, he retired at the age of 34 in 2019.

Sneijder while playing for Galatasaray in the Champions League match against Juventus on December 11, 2013. Photo: Reuters.

Due to his past connections, Sneijder is often referenced in matters relating to Ajax or Dutch football. Last week, he criticised winger Antony for his provocative celebration in front of Coventry City players after Man Utd narrowly beat the Championship side in the FA Cup semi-final. "Antony should be ashamed of what he did," he told Ziggo Sport of the former Ajax player's behaviour. "He should have walked straight off the pitch, instead of standing there and taunting the opposition. I hope Man Utd lose 5-0 in the final."

The FA Cup final between Man Utd and Man City takes place on May 25, and is the last chance for Ten Hag and his team to win a title this season.

Source link: https://vnexpress.net/sneijder-man-utd-di-xuong-tu-khi-ten-hag-loai-bo-ronaldo-4740568.html