'Unnecessary humiliation': Erik ten Hag's total ban on Cristiano Ronaldo backfired

Erik ten Hag may have won the battle against Cristiano Ronaldo, but a new report has revealed that it ultimately proved costly.

ten witches was relieved of duties as manchester united manager on Monday as his tumultuous two-and-a-half-year reign came to an end.

Although Ten Hag cemented himself in United's history by becoming one of four managers to win trophies in consecutive seasons, his tenure was far from rosy.

One element of his reign that proved especially controversial was his treatment of the Portuguese superstar. christian ronaldo.

The legendary striker was brought back to Old Trafford by then Red Devils manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, marking his return after 12 years away.

But Solskjaer was sacked in November 2021, when Ralf Rangnick took over at Old Trafford, albeit on an interim basis.

Ronaldo never saw eye to eye with the German, who favored a pressing style of play.

Ten Hag arrived permanently in the summer of 2022, but it took months for his relationship with Ronaldo to turn sour.

The famous Portuguese superstar he refused to leave the bench during a 2-0 win over Tottenham in October 2022 and was subsequently removed by Ten Hag for United's next match against Chelsea.

But in a surprising report from ESPNTen Hag's punishment of Ronaldo did not end there.

The report says Ten Hag ordered Ronaldo to train away from the first team at the club's Carrington complex.

The exile didn't end there, however, as the report claims that Ronaldo was stopped by staff from entering the first-team dressing room when he went to pick up a pair of shoes.

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It got to the point where Ronaldo had to ask a youth player to hold his shoes.

At the time, the report claimed that “several veteran players” viewed Ten Hag's “outright ban” as an unnecessary humiliation.

Although Ronaldo's frustration with the Dutchman was evident, he did not speak publicly about it until he released an explosive interview with Piers Morgan in November 2022.

“The coach had no respect for me,” Ronaldo said.

“So that's why the relationship is that way. He keeps saying in the press that he comes to me, that he likes me, blah, blah, blah, but that's just for the press, 100 percent.

“If you don't respect me, I will never respect you.”

Ronaldo also claimed that Ten Hag, along with a handful of others, were trying to kick him out of United at the time.

The Portuguese icon wasn't the only star name Ten Hag feuded with.

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Jadon Sanchowho moved to Old Trafford for £73m in July 2021, had a very public row with Ten Hag.

It began when Ten Hag left Sancho out of the United squad for a match against Arsenal in September 2023 and later explained that it was due to the winger's level of performance in training.

sancho responded on social media and said he “won't let people say things that are completely false” and felt he had been made a “scapegoat for a long time.”

Ten Hag wanted Sancho to publicly apologize for the outburst to remind him who was in charge, but he didn't.

Sancho was finally given an exit route, albeit a temporary one, when he returned to Borussia Dortmund on a six-month loan last January.

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While the loan turned out to be just what Sancho needed to return to fitness, ESPN claimed that “the situation became increasingly embarrassing” for United.

In fact, the report claims that United representatives “sent messages to high-profile pundits” to stop exaggerating Sancho's performances “because they reflected poorly on the club.”

Despite putting himself in the shop window thanks to his impressive performances for Dortmund, there were no immediate offers for Sancho as he and Ten Hag shared an uneasy truce.

But Sancho finally got his wish. joined Chelsea on a season-long loan with an obligation to make the deal permanent for £25m.

Although Ten Hag faced a multitude of problems throughout his tenure at Old Trafford, some of which were beyond his control, his public rifts with Ronaldo and Sancho undoubtedly contributed to his eventual dismissal.