Coach Recalls When Ronaldo Regretted His Man United Return As Red Devils Struggle for Form

• The reason why Cristiano Ronaldo struggled in his second stint at Man United has been explained
• The Portuguese had two spells of varying success at Old Trafford, scoring 145 goals in 346 games
• Ronaldo currently plies his trade in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr after a bitter split with Man United

Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly realised his return to Manchester United was a mistake when he noticed certain teammates were unable to meet the high standards he expected of them.

This is according to Mike Phelan, who was part of the coaching staff when the Portuguese veteran rejoined the Old Trafford outfit in August 2021.

Ronaldo's situation is said to have become unmanageable when his frustration reached a point where he had open conflicts with other prominent Man United players in the dressing room.

The 38-year-old's return to Old Trafford took a nightmarish turn when manager, Erik ten Hag decided to part ways with him near the commencement of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

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The five-time Ballon d'Or winner had his contract terminated last November following an interview with Piers Morgan, where he criticised both his coach and the club, per the Mirror.

When Ronaldo regretted rejoining Man United

Phelan has now disclosed that certain players simply failed to meet the expectations set by the former Real Madrid superstar during training, leading to a building sense of frustration.

The former coach said, via Sky Sports:

"The second time around, [Ronaldo] came in a lot older and a lot more opinionated and strong-willed. He still had massively high standards and was terrific to work with. But I'd probably say [he had] a tougher mindset."

Phelan believes this approach stemmed from his longevity at some of the top teams in the world, including Real Madrid, a relatively successful Portugal national side, and serial winners Man United.

While the former Red Devils coach appreciated Ronaldo's commitment to high standards and improving those around him, he also ceded that the superstar had seemed to step on quite a few toes.

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"I remember certain times when he pushed and pushed hard, and he didn't get much reaction or much response. And there was frustration. When you deal with top, top people, it's about them and where they can finish and where they can get to."

Phelan departed Manchester United last year and has yet to assume a new position since leaving Old Trafford.

Man United set unwanted UCL record

Sports Brief also reported on Man United setting a dismal record in the UEFA Champions League, following their loss to FC Copenhagen on November 8.

Almost a year after Ronaldo departed Old Trafford on the back of the scathing interview, the Red Devils continue to struggle for consistency in their results.

United came into the encounter with Copenhagen needing a win to give themselves hope of reaching the knockouts, but instead threw away a two-goal lead.