Cristiano Ronaldo charged for behaviour after Manchester United's loss to Everton last season
Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo has been charged with breaching FA Rule E3 in an incident that took place after the full-time whistle against Everton on April 9, 2022.
Ronaldo started for the Red Devils as they traveled to Goodison Park to take on the Toffees in the Premier League. The Portugal international was ineffective throughout the match and an 87th-minute booking was his only notable contribution to Manchester United's 1-0 loss on the day.
After the match, Ronaldo was seen smashing a child's phone in frustration as he was displeased with fans berating him from the stands while he walked down the tunnel.
The former Real Madrid star later apologized for his actions and posted a photo on his social media account with the following caption:
"It’s never easy to deal with emotions in difficult moments such as the one we are facing. Nevertheless, we always have to be respectful, patient, and set the example for all the youngsters who love the beautiful game."
The caption continued:
"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."
Almost five-and-a-half months later, the FA has decided to punish the Portuguese for his actions. According to Simon Stone of the BBC, Cristiano Ronaldo's actions were deemed to be improper and/or violent.
Cristiano Ronaldo ‘charged with a breach of FA Rule E3 for an incident that took place after Manchester United FC's Premier League match against Everton FC on Saturday 9 April 2022. It is alleged that the forward's conduct after the final whistle was improper and/or violent’.
The journalist also shared Manchester United's response to the matter, which can be seen in the tweet below:
Man Utd: “We note the FA announcement in relation to Cristiano Ronaldo. We will be supporting the player in his response to the charge."
The exact nature of the charge meted out and its full scope is unclear at the moment but the club and/or the player are expected to respond to it.
Cristiano Ronaldo no longer a regular at Manchester United
The aforementioned game against Everton came at a time when Cristiano Ronaldo was starting regularly for United under interim manager Ralf Rangnick. The Portugal icon ended the 2021-22 season with 30 Premier League appearances, starting 27 of them.
Under current manager Erik Ten Hag, only one of Ronaldo's six league appearances this season has seen him feature in the starting XI. He is yet to score in the Premier League, which is a far cry from the 18 goals he managed in the competition last campaign.
Ten Hag seems to prefer starting Marcus Rashford in the position when the Englishman is fit. He also has Anthony Martial who is capable of playing down the middle in attack.