Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has defended his decision to axe Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United’s squad, insisting that without rules, “you create a mess”.
The Portuguese superstar was left out of the squad for the Red Devils’ Premier League clash with West Bromwich Albion on Sunday, with Solskjaer citing “rules” as the reason for his omission.
The United boss has now revealed that he didn’t lose a wink of sleep over the decision, insisting that it was the right thing to do.
“I didn’t lose a wink of sleep over it,” Solskjaer said. “It’s about rules and regulations. We have to stick to them. If you don’t stick to them, you create a mess.
“We have to be consistent. We have to be fair to everyone. We have to make sure that everyone is treated the same. That’s why we made the decision.”
Solskjaer also revealed that he had spoken to Ronaldo about the decision, and that the Portuguese star had accepted it.
“I spoke to Cristiano about it and he understood,” Solskjaer said. “He was disappointed, of course, but he accepted it. He’s a professional and he knows that rules are rules.”
The United boss also revealed that he had no regrets about the decision, and that he was confident that Ronaldo would bounce back from the disappointment.
“I have no regrets,” Solskjaer said. “I’m sure Cristiano will come back stronger. He’s a great professional and he will use this as motivation to prove us wrong.”
Solskjaer’s decision to axe Ronaldo has been met with mixed reactions from United fans, with some praising the manager for his decision and others criticising him for not giving the Portuguese star a chance.
However, Solskjaer is adamant that he made the right decision, and that it was the only way to ensure that everyone in the squad was treated fairly.
“It’s important that everyone in the squad is treated the same,” Solskjaer said. “That’s why we made the decision. We have to be consistent and we have to be fair to everyone.”