The Cristiano Ronaldo saga at Manchester United reached a boiling point on Wednesday when he refused to go on as a substitute and abruptly marched down the Old Trafford tunnel before the final whistle in a victory over Tottenham.

Since then, the Red Devils have released a statement on the matter and announced that Ronaldo will be excluded from the squad for this weekend's critical clash with Chelsea.

Cristiano Ronaldo himself has also spoken out after Wednesday's situation, releasing a heartfelt statement on Instagram.

“As I’ve always done throughout my career, I try to live and play respectfully towards my colleagues, my adversaries and my coaches. That hasn’t changed. I haven’t changed. I’m the same person and the same professional that I’ve been for the last 20 years playing elite football, and respect has always played a very important role in my decision making process,” Cristiano Ronaldo said.

“I started very young, the older and most experienced players examples were always very important to me. Therefore, later on, I’ve always tried to set the example myself for the youngsters that grew in all the teams that I’ve represented. Unfortunately that’s not always possible and sometimes the heat of the moment get’s the best of us.”

“Right now, I just feel that I have to keep working hard in Carrington, support my teammates and be ready for everything in any given game. Giving in to the pressure is not an option. It never was. This is Manchester United, and united we must stand. Soon we’ll be together again.”

 

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It surely sounds like Ronaldo is apologizing for his actions. While it was very selfish of him to walk off the pitch before the game ended, it's also disappointing to see Ronaldo get treated with such utter disrespect. He's started just two Premier League fixtures in 2022-23 and receives minimal minutes even as a substitute from Erik ten Hag.

It's hard to imagine Cristiano Ronaldo repairing his relationship with United at this point. But, at least he's trying to. That reflects the true professional the 37-year-old really is.