Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 9: In a surprising turn of events, former Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag has absolved Cristiano Ronaldo of any blame for the club's issues during his tenure. Ten Hag, who recently took over at Bayer Leverkusen, suggested that the problems at Old Trafford ran deeper than the Portuguese star, who left the club on poor terms in 2023.

Ronaldo's departure for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr came after a public fallout with Ten Hag. However, the Dutch coach now seems to have a different perspective. "For me, it is no problem; he was never the problem," Ten Hag said after a pre-season friendly. "I think it was what happened. It's the past, and after that, we won two trophies at Manchester United. I wish him all the best for the future, and I wish him the best of luck."

Ten Hag's comments follow a period of success with the Red Devils, where he secured an FA Cup and a Carabao Cup before his sacking during the 2024/25 season.

His remarks also come two years after Ronaldo publicly criticized Ten Hag's mindset. In a podcast with former teammate Rio Ferdinand, Ronaldo took issue with the coach's approach, stating that a Manchester United coach should never concede that the team can't compete for the league and Champions League titles. "You have to be, to mentally say, listen, maybe we don't have that potential, but I cannot say that. We're going to try. You have to try," Ronaldo said.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo is having a strong start to his new season, recently scoring a hat-trick for Al Nassr. He is now preparing for a Saudi Super Cup semifinal match against Al-Ittihad Club on Tuesday.