Erik Ten Hag and Cristiano Ronaldo did not seem to be done to get along. Between an murderous interview with the Portuguese at the end of 2022, the loss of its status as a holder and a breakdown of the amicable contract, the relationship between the two men had turned into sour. However, this Saturday, the current Bayer Leverkusen coach surprised by changing tone.
Ten Hag on Ronaldo: “never the problem”
Asked after a friendly match lost against Chelsea this Saturday, Ten Hag wanted to restore his truth: “For me, it has never been a problem. It's a past. »» A statement that contrasts with past tensions and spikes exchanged by interposed media. The Batavian, dismissed of Manchester United last year, even added his wishes for success to his former attacker.
This peaceful speech is part of a context where Ten Hag wants to turn the page. After winning two trophies with the Red Devils, he is now focusing on his new Challenge in the Bundesliga. But the symbol remains strong: that of a coach who, after a brutal breakup, chooses to adopt a conciliatory tone.
A tense pole … which may stay in the air
Difficult, however, to imagine Ronaldo grasping this outstretched hand. The five -time Ballon d'Or has multiplied criticism of Ten Hag in recent months, accusing it of lacking ambition for Manchester United. His interventions in podcasts or interviews recall that the resentment remains lively.
By speaking like this, Ten Hag sends a message: he now prefers to remember the good sides and leave the conflict behind him. Ronaldo, for his part, has not yet reacted. But in the light of their past exchanges, it would take a real draft for this ax of war to be definitively buried.
