Manchester United: Raphael Varane says Cristiano Ronaldo’s comments ‘affects’ the team
Raphael Varane is the first Manchester United player to give their reaction to Cristiano Ronaldo’s explosive interview with Piers Morgan.
The Portuguese superstar said he felt ‘betrayed’ by United and ‘doesn’t respect’ manager Erik ten Hag, as he believes the Dutchman ‘doesn’t respect him’.
Varane, who has a long history with Ronaldo going back to their days playing alongside each other at Real Madrid, was asked to give his thoughts on Ronaldo’s claims.
He told French radio station Europe 1: ‘Obviously it affects us. We follow what is happening and what is being said.
‘We try to calm the situation in our own way, we try not to get too involved in it.’
The defender, who is hoping to be fit in time for France’s World Cup opener against Australia next Wednesday, also said he would back whatever decision the club takes on the matter.
Varane said: ‘When it’s a star like Cristiano Ronaldo, even more, so we try to take it with distance, that is to say that we do not try to change the situation alone, we are part of a collective.
‘What I want is the best for my team so whatever the decision, as a player, we will accept it and give the best of ourselves.’
According to the Mirror, Ronaldo’s team-mates do not want to return to training at United after the World Cup in Qatar.
The ‘majority’ of the squad have reportedly sided with Ten Hag and they believe reconciliation between the manager and the player is off the cards.
Ronaldo’s team-mates are also fed up of Ronaldo’s ‘whining over his perceived mistreatment’.
ESPN reported they were ‘furious’ at the timing of the striker’s outburst which first came to light on Sunday, feeling it took away from their victory just hours earlier.
Manchester United secured a dramatic victory over Fulham, in which teenager Alejandro Garnacho stole the headlines with his stoppage-time winner.
Ronaldo is currently with the Portuguese team, where he is training alongside United team-mates Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes.
The 37-year-old exchanged a frosty handshake with Fernandes on the day after news of the interview first went public.
In his interview with Morgan on Talk TV, which has been drip-fed since Sunday, Ronaldo claimed that manager Erik Ten Hag doesn’t respect him.
He said: ‘I don’t have respect for him because he doesn’t show respect for me.
‘Some people, they don’t want me here – not only the coach but the other two or three guys. Not only this year, but last year too.
‘Honestly, I shouldn’t say that. But listen, I don’t care. People should listen to the truth. Yes, I feel betrayed.’
Sportsmail on Monday reported that United are exploring ways of sacking Ronaldo and that lawyers are studying Ronaldo’s claims to see if it constitutes a breach of his contract.
They are waiting for the rest of the interview which airs on Wednesday and Thursday, and issued a statement on Monday saying they ‘will consider its response after the full facts have been established’.
