It was a Saturday to forget for Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese superstar not only failed to inspire his team, Manchester United but also became a victim of his own indiscretion. He did apologise later, but the harm was already done. (More Football News)
After Manchester United's defeat against relegation-fighting Everton at Goodison Park, footage emerged on social media with Ronaldo apparently slapping a phone out of a supporter’s hand.
Watch it here:
Ronaldo, 37, later apologized for what he described as an “outburst”. United is looking into the incident.
In a post on Instagram, Ronaldo said: “I would like to apologize for my outburst and, if possible, I would like to invite this supporter to watch a game at Old Trafford as a sign of fair-play and sportsmanship.”
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He added that it was “never easy to deal with emotions in difficult moments such as the one we are facing.”
The former Real Madrid and Juventus player also said that “we always have to be respectful, patient and set the example for all the youngsters who love the beautiful game.”
The defeat left United seventh in the English Premier League with 51 points from 31 matches. They now face the prospect of missing out on qualification for next season's UEFA Champions League.
Meanwhile, city rivals Manchester City host Liverpool on Sunday in a possible title decider. Pep Guardiola's defending champions City have a one-point lead over Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool after 30 matches each.
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Chelsea, despite their off-the-field issues, have consolidated their hold on the third spot with a 6-0 mauling of mid-table Southampton. The reigning UEFA Champions League champions have 62 points.
Tottenham Hotspur registered a fourth successive win with a 4-0 thrashing of Aston Villa to take a four-point advantage over their north London rivals Arsenal, who suffered a 1-2 defeat against visiting Brighton.
