Cristiano Ronaldo expressed it was his desire to leave Manchester United in the first week of July. Ronaldo had grown impatient with the club's lack of activity in the summer transfer market and he was unhappy at the failure to qualify for the Champions League.
The failure to secure Champions League football triggered a 25 per cent reduction in players' salaries and sources indicated that 'upset' Ronaldo. That feeling was exacerbated by United playing in the Europa League, which Ronaldo deems a competition beneath a player of his standing. Ronaldo has been synonymous with the Champions League and he wanted to continue that special relationship.
It had been suggested it would not feel right to see Ronaldo walk onto the pitch to Europa League music and the player seemed to agree. Ronaldo had no intention to play in the Europa League, but only a club in Saudi Arabia wanted him this summer.
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Ronaldo has remained at Old Trafford and he played in the Europa League against Real Sociedad last week. Although the Europa League music did not play at Old Trafford due to the passing of the Queen, Ronaldo cannot escape the inevitable for much long.
Marcus Rashford is currently injured and he did not travel to Moldova on Wednesday for United's match against FC Sheriff. Ronaldo is expected to start the match and the Europa League music will play when the teams walk out at The Zimbru Stadium.
The moment that Ronaldo walks onto the pitch with the Europa League soundtrack feels symbolic. The tawdry soundtrack is a reminder of failing to qualify for Champions League football and a reminder of the club's failure and embarrassment.
The Europa League soundtrack is grossly inferior to the iconic Champions League anthem, which derives from the famous 'Zadok the Priest'. That historic anthem was composed by George Frideric Handel and created for the coronation King George II in 1727.
In comparison, the Europa League soundtrack was composed and produced by 'MassiveMusic' and released in 2018. It's fitting the Champions League, which is steeped in history and tradition, has a superior anthem to the tackiness of the Europa League.
Although Ronaldo does not want to play in the Europa League this season, that's the card he has been dealt and he's currently performing like a player worthy of playing in a competition that is the Champions League's less successful, unlikable brother.
Ronaldo has just made two starts this season and they have been in the Brentford debacle and the Real Sociedad defeat. Ronaldo was expected to make a statement against Sociedad but he underwhelmed and looked quite poor on the night instead.
He has not scored this season and that was clearly playing on his mind against the La Liga side; it turns out Ronaldo is human after all. Ronaldo was over-eager with his positioning in attack and he was caught offside on occasions when he really didn't need to be.
Ronaldo scored 24 goals last season and the debate around him was tedious. Sure, he's not the player that he once was, and that means the team are forced to compromise, but United would have struggled even more without that impressive goal haul.
The guarantee of goals was justification for Ronaldo to start, however, if those goals begin to dry up, the calls for him to stay on the bench will become difficult to argue with. Ronaldo simply needs to score when he's given the chance to play this term.
His goals are his currency and bargaining power. Ronaldo is currently without a goal this season and that makes Ten Hag's team selection decision easier. Ronaldo had a night to forget against Sociedad and he needs to put that behind him on Thursday night.
While Ronaldo is embarrassed to play in the Europa League, he needs to channel that emotion onto the pitch. He needs to use the competition as the platform to score goals and as the opportunity to return to form in front of the opposition goal.
Ronaldo despised the idea of the Europa League — but he needs to embrace the competition.
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