Manchester United forward, Cristiano Ronaldo suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of struggling Everton football club and also suffered a bruised leg.
Recall that on Saturday, April 9, 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo followed Manchester United to Goodison Park to play their 31st game of the season. Ahead of the game, many predicted that Manchester United would defeat coach Frank Lampard and his boys due to the club’s poor run of form all season long.
Note that Everton have recorded three successive defeats in the Premier League to teams below the league’s top four. They were expected to continue with their poor run but Everton stunned United with a 27th-minute goal via the boots of 21-year-old English attacking midfielder, Anthony Gordon.
The picture that surfaced on the internet after the 1-0 defeat showed Ronaldo checking on his bleeding leg on the Goodison Park pitch.
Afterward, the 37-year-old Portuguese forward who was bittered that his team could not beat a struggling Everton walked down the tunnel without spending too much time to appreciate the fans.
On his way to the tunnel, he came across an Everton fan who was trying to take a picture of him; Cristiano Ronaldo could not help but use his hands to smash the fan’s phone. Afterward, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner walked away as if nothing happened.
Clear angle
— Hamza (@lapulgafreak) April 9, 2022
Ronaldo smashed the kids phone is pretty clear now pic.twitter.com/s1Pn24BXSU
Unfortunately for him, a video of the incident surfaced on the internet and attracted a series of attention which did not go down well with his brand.
The video went so viral that the management of Manchester United had to react to it on Saturday evening, April 9, stressing that the club was looking into the incident.
On his part, Cristiano Ronaldo took to his Instagram page with over 400 million followers to apologize for his action, blaming it on the emotion of losing a football game.
The 37-year-old Portuguese football icon stressed that players like him ought to always serve as a good example to younger ones. To appease his victim, Ronaldo invited the Everton fan to watch a game at Old Trafford, all expenses paid.
Ronaldo wrote: “It’s never easy to deal with emotions in difficult moments such as the one we are facing. Nevertheless, we always have to be respectful, and patient and set an example for all the youngsters who love the beautiful game.
“I would like to apologize for my outburst and, if possible, I would like to invite this supporter to watch a game at Old Trafford as a sign of fair play and sportsmanship”
Will Cristiano Ronaldo play in the 2022-2023 UEFA Champions League?
Manchester United were expected to use Everton to continue with their fight to qualify for a UEFA Champions League spot but it was not to be. The relegation-threatened Merseyside club defeated them 1-0 to make it more difficult for them to dream of the Champions League ahead of next season.
As it stands, Manchester United are occupying the 7th spot with 51 points in 31 games, six points away from first placed Tottenham Hotspur, and three points above 8th placed Wolves.
If things remain this way, Manchester United would not qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League which means Cristiano Ronaldo might not play in the tournament for the first time in his football career.
However, there are reports that Ronaldo is already planning his escape from Manchester United in case the club fails to grab a Champions League ticket.
Since Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in August 2021, the 37-year-old Portuguese star has scored 18 goals and provided three assists in 34 games in all competitions. His contract with Manchester United will expire on June 30, 2023.
