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Manchester United ‘feel Cristiano Ronaldo’s criticism of their handling of his pre-season tour absence is unfair’ after the Portuguese star claimed the club ‘didn’t believe’ his baby daughter was ill.
The 37-year-old missed United’s trip to Thailand and Australia after his daughter was hospitalised with bronchitis in July.
But in his bombshell interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo sensationally accused United of doubting she was unwell after he returned late for training.
United have also reportedly been left perplexed by Ronaldo’s criticism of the training facilities at Carrington, where the dining room area and swimming pool have recently been refurbished.
In his interview, which is being released in full on Wednesday and Thursday, Ronaldo said: ‘I spoke with the directors and president of Manchester United and they kind of didn’t believe that something was going wrong which made me feel bad.
‘They believed it but it’s something that really hurt me because they doubted my words.
‘We had one week in hospital because Bella had big problems and I didn’t go to the pre-season because of that.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s comments to Piers Morgan about Manchester United doubting his baby daughter was unwell in hospital during pre-season have been refuted by club officials
Ronaldo says United chiefs ‘didn’t believe something was going wrong’ when he told them
Ronaldo and partner Georgina Rodriguez tragically revealed their newborn son had died during birth on April 13, and three months later his twin daughter was also hospitalised
‘Because I wasn’t going to leave my family if something happened to do a pre-season because I didn’t think it was fair to leave my family.
‘This is why I didn’t go.’
But, according to the Manchester Evening News, United officials refute Ronaldo’s comments and say they did show compassion at the time.
The Portugal captain and partner Georgina Rodriguez, 28, revealed that their newborn son had died during birth on April 18, but his twin daughter Bella survived.
Tributes flooded in from the footballing world after the couple shared their heartbreaking news, including from United’s arch-rivals Liverpool, who broke into a rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone following a minute’s applause.
Rodriguez pictured heading on a family holiday back in the summer, holding daughter Bella
Ronaldo revealed he keeps his son’s ashes close to his father’s in a chapel at his home
Ronaldo and Rodriguez also received a personal note of condolence from the Royal Family.
However, Bella spent time in hospital with bronchitis aged just three months, leading to Ronaldo staying at home rather than jetting off on tour with his team-mates.
Ronaldo and his agent Jorge Mendes communicated with United chief executive Richard Arnold and football director John Murtough over the summer before he reported for pre-season training on July 25.
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Ronaldo’s camp briefed a reporter in the summer they had been impressed with Arnold’s compassion regarding the situation.
Ronaldo’s team-mates only became aware of the Morgan interview as they flew back to Manchester from London after Sunday’s 2-1 win over Fulham, their last fixture before the World Cup.
There is a growing belief he has played his last game for the club and will depart in January with United looked for ways of ending his contract early.
Sportsmail revealed United’s lawyers are exploring ways of sacking Ronaldo after he said in the interview he felt betrayed by the club and had no respect for manager Erik ten Hag.
Georgina shares daughter Alana, three, with Cristiano, and the Manchester United star also has son Cristiano Jr, 11, and twins Eva and Mateo, four
Ronaldo (left) believes the grief of losing his son has brought the whole family closer together
In April they confirmed death of baby boy as ‘the greatest pain’, but said baby girl survived
They will watch the full interview, set to be aired on Wednesday and Thursday, and ‘will consider their response after the full facts have been established.’
Another option being considered is for United and Ronaldo to agree to tear up his £500,000-a-week deal so he can leave as a free agent.
Sportsmail revealed Ronaldo and his agent Mandes met with Bayern Munich last week as he plotted his exit from the club.
In the latest clip from the interview, released on Tuesday night, Ronaldo opened up on the trauma of the death of his newborn son, named Angel, in April.
‘Probably the worst moment I passed through in my life since my father died,’ he said.
Ronaldo pictured in training with Portugal on Tuesday ahead of their World Cup campaign
‘When you have a kid you expect everything will be normal and when you have a problem it’s hard.
‘Me and Gio (Georgina) had difficult moments. It was very, very difficult to understand what is going on in that period of my life.
‘The football don’t stop, we had many competitions. It was probably the most difficult moment in my life.’
Ronaldo added that he keeps Angél’s ashes close to those of his father’s, who passed away of liver failure in 2005, at a chapel in his home.
‘I talk with them all the time and they are on my side,’ he added, in quotes carried by the Sun.
‘You know they help me to be a better man, to be a better person, to be a better father.
‘And it’s something that I am really proud of… the message that they send me, especially my son.’
