Could Man Utd sack Cristiano Ronaldo over Piers Morgan interview?

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 23 May 2023 08:55 CDT
• 4 min read

Manchester United have released a statement following the conclusion of Cristiano Ronaldo’s two-part interview with Piers Morgan on TalkTV.

The Red Devils are extremely brief in their reaction to Ronaldo’s spectacular comments, during which he claimed the club have “betrayed” him and that he feels “disrespected” by manager Erik ten Hag. On top of this, he also criticised the management of the club and even went so far to hit out at a lack of hunger from the club’s youth players.

Man Utd’s statement reads simply: “Manchester United has this morning initiated appropriate steps in response to Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent media interview.

MORE: From Man City bid to Messi: Ronaldo-Piers Morgan interview IN FULL

“We will not be making further comment until this process reaches its conclusion.”

The lack of comment from the club belies how seriously they are taking this affair, with it even suggested that Ronaldo could see his contract torn up by the Old Trafford outfit.

MORE: From Messi to retirement: Ronaldo-Piers Morgan interview part two IN FULL

Speaking to Sky Sports, sports lawyer Stephen Taylor Heath explained the situation from a legal standpoint.

“In terms of the legal advice, it really hinges on whether the comments bring the club into disrepute,” he said. “The fact that he’s attended this interview without, presumably, telling the club he’s attending this interview, it’s not a personal promotional matter, he’s there in the guise of an employee of the club.

“If his comments reflect badly on Manchester United, then the club will decide what’s a proportionate way of responding to that from a legal sense. Having obtained that opinion, they will take that into account when deciding how they wish to respond from a commercial and a footballing sense.”

Possibility Ronaldo is released by mutual agreement

This is not Ronaldo’s first issue this season, having been publicly rebuked for departing a friendly against Rayo Vallecano early before creating a storm as he marched out of a Premier League match with Tottenham after refusing to go on as a substitute.

“If they go down the route of asking him to attend a disciplinary hearing, they will consider his previous misdemeanours as to whether it amounts to a pattern of behaviour that is grounds for dismissal. If they were to sack him for gross misconduct, for example, he’d have a certain amount of time to appeal. That matter would go before the Premier League procedures in relation to dealing with that dispute.

“If they don’t sack him on the spot for gross misconduct, they may have a disciplinary hearing and it may be that they negotiate a settlement agreement. Man Utd would then announced it was termination by mutual agreement.”

Whichever path Man Utd choose, it does not look like it will end well for Ronaldo.