Cristiano Ronaldo’s sister has fuelled speculation the forward is not injured and missed the Manchester derby for different reasons, after liking a post on Instagram.
Ronaldo missed Manchester United’s 4-1 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday, with interim head coach Ralf Rangnick claiming the Portuguese had “problems with his hip flexor”.
The 37-year-old's absence appeared to be questioned by his sister, Katia Aveiro, who liked an Instagram post before the match which claimed Ronaldo that was not injured and had been dropped by Rangnick.
The post, which was published by a popular Ronaldo fan account, read: “Cristiano Ronaldo is not injured and he is not ill. The man is 100 per cent.
“Good morning to you who, like me, are sad and angry because Rangnick decided to ruin our Sunday by taking CR7 out of the derby against Manchester City simply for tactical reasons, to defend himself more in the game.”
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United’s defeat at the Etihad was only the second Premier League match Ronaldo has missed for the club since rejoining from Juventus last summer.
Speaking before the match, former United captain Roy Keane said “something doesn’t add up” over Ronaldo’s absence from the squad.
“There seems to be more to the Ronaldo story when a manager comes out and talks about a hip flexor,” Keane told Sky Sports.
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“I don't get it. We talk about Ronaldo being a machine and very rarely getting injured but every now and again he comes out with that... a hip flexor?
“It doesn't add up to me.”
Meanwhile, The Sun has claimed that United’s players were shocked after Ronaldo failed to join them for their pre-match meet-up at The Lowry hotel on the eve of the derby.
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The report claims that members United’s squad believe a player as senior as Ronaldo should have joined them for support ahead of such a crucial match.
Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez both scored twice as City ran out comfortable winners at the Etihad, with Keane later describing United’s second-half performance as “shameful”.
Defeat for United leaves them in fifth – one point behind fourth place Arsenal, having played three more games than the Gunners.
Topics: Cristiano Ronaldo, Football, Premier League, Manchester United, Manchester City
Rory O'Callaghan