The interview Cristiano Ronaldo had with Piers Morgan has not only generated huge resentment at Manchester United but has spilled over into Portugal’s team as Bruno Fernandez could not hide his disgust towards him.
Portuguese players are holding a training camp before a friendly game against Super Eagles on Thursday, November 17, before they will fly to Qatar for the World Cup competition.
Reports across Europe claimed that United’s players were ‘extremely disappointed’ with Ronaldo’s negative comments against the club but two of Ronaldo’s United and Portuguese teammates, Bruno Fernandez and Diogo Dalot have caused a stir-up with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
The first bitter impression was seen after Diogo Dalot looked unusually distant from Ronaldo in a training image while they were together in the Portuguese camp.
Now, another video has emerged, but this time picking on Bruno Fernandez’s disappointing meeting with Cristiano Ronaldo in a locker room at Portugal’s training camp.
A video, suggesting Fernandez’s discontent over Ronaldo’s “irritated talks” has been circulating on Twitter, revealing Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes having a very frosty meeting.
Cristiano Ronaldo was seen offering a handshake to his United teammate Fernandes but Bruno snubbed it before reluctantly shaking hands with him and hastily walking away knowing a CCTV is capturing the gesture.
Ronaldo felt startled and unimpressed by Fernandes’ gesture but that will send a signal to the beleaguered United forward that Fernandez and other United supporters are not pleased with his unruly talks.
Note that Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes’ partnership at Manchester United has not been helpful as the pair have not combined for a goal or assist for more than 12 months now.
Ronaldo’s controversial interview seems as pouring salt into injury as well as worsening the relations between him and Fernandez, and this could be a detriment to Portugal’s World Cup tournament if the bitterness is not resolved.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes wouldn’t even look at each other during training for Portugal today. 👀🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/KlcZcSxSao
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) November 15, 2022
Cristiano Ronaldo Blasts Club Owners and Former United Teammates
Cristiano Ronaldo’s interview is certainly a jam-packed blowup as the five-time Ballon d’Or winner never hesitated to include former teammates Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville in his heated tirade.
During the interview Ronaldo was asked about the criticisms thrown at him by former United players Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville.
Rooney blasted Ronaldo’s recent behavior at Old Trafford as “unacceptable” three days ago, adding that the 37-year-old Portuguese star should be humble and be ready to play whenever United boss Erik ten Hag needs him.
In his reaction to Rooney’s continuous criticism against him, Ronaldo said: “Piers, I don’t understand. You should ask this question to him.
“But I don’t know, I don’t know why he criticizes me so badly, I don’t believe that he’s jealous of me.
“Surprisingly, it was one year ago, or six months ago. We’re here in my house, he picked up his kids here and he invited Cristiano to go to his house to play football.”
“I don’t- I don’t understand people like that.”
Piers further asked Ronaldo whether Rooney had made the criticism out of Jealousy, Ronaldo replied: “Probably, because he finished his career in his 30s.
“So I’m still playing high level. I’m not gonna say that I’m looking better than him. Which is true, but…”
Ronaldo recounted Gary Neville’s ill comment against him when the former Manchester United captain also described Ronaldo’s decision to storm out of Old Trafford ahead of United’s 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur as ‘unacceptable’.
Ronaldo added: “It’s hard to listen to that kind of criticism and negative talk about people who play with you, for example, Gary Neville, as well.
“People can have their own opinion, but they don’t know what’s going on.
“For example, inside the training ground and Carrington area or even my life-they should listen not only to one point of view, but they also have to listen to my point of view as well.
“Because it’s easy to criticize. But if you don’t know the whole story, it’s easy, you know.”
Ronaldo revealed his business with Rooney and Gary Neville is to play football together and nothing like a friendly relationship as they are not pals.
He added: “They are not my friends, they are colleagues. We play together, they’re not coming, we’re not ever having dinner together, for example.
“But as I told you, Piers, before, it’s part of my journey, they keep criticizing me negatively every time.
“So I follow. I continue my trip. And I have to catch up with the people who like me.”
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, however, speaks well of his former United teammates Roy Keane and Rio Ferdinand.
When asked about former United captain Keane and Ferdinand, Ronaldo said: “It means a lot because they… I was in the dressing room with them. They are part of my journey in football as well.”
“As I mentioned many times, Roy Keane for me was my best captain ever.
“Rio Ferdinand helped me a lot. He was my neighbor, I was his neighbor. So very, very good guys. Not just because they speak good about me, but they were there in the dressing room.”
Meanwhile, Ronaldo didn’t leave the owners of Old Trafford out of his heat conversation as he slammed Manchester United’s ‘dubious’ US owners the Glazer family, saying they don’t care about the club.
The Portuguese legendary goal scorer also accused the Glazer family of being more interested in the wealth they will amass from Manchester United, claiming they only see the club as a “marketing club” rather than a football club.
The 37-year-old United enraged forward, Ronaldo told Piers Morgan he believed the Glazers “don’t care” about Manchester United and said he had “never” spoken to the owners because they put the club in the hands of CEO Richard Arnold.
Cristiano Ronaldo has urged United fans to continue protesting against the controversial ownership and management of Manchester United by the Glazers family and claiming his struggle is to see the club thriving.
According to report, there has been a general acceptance among Manchester United realm that Cristiano Ronaldo should never represent the club again.
However, with his controversial interview, an exit from Old Trafford in the coming January transfer window is no doubt inevitable as United will not hesitate to let go of Ronaldo.
To watch the full ‘Piers Morgan Uncensored: 90 Minutes with Ronaldo’, the interview will be aired on Wednesday and Thursday at 8 pm on TalkTV.
