Cristiano Ronaldo is fighting the FA’s improper conduct charge for allegedly knocking a mobile phone out of a fan’s hand at Everton.
The Manchester United star was filmed appearing to slap the phone out of the hand of an Everton supporter as he made his way back to the dressing room after the Reds’ defeat at Goodison Park in April. Ronaldo was cautioned by the police over the incident and apologised to the young fan immediately after the incident on April 9.
The FA charged with him breaching rule E3, which relates to improper or violent conduct. The Portugal legend had until Monday to respond to the FA charge and United boss Erik ten Hag says he will contest it.
Ten Hag was quizzed about Ronaldo’s response to the charge at his press conference on Wednesday to preview the Europa League clash with Omonia Nicosia at Old Trafford on Thursday and said: “We talked about that, he will not accept it.”
Ronaldo, 37, feels there were mitigating circumstances for his outburst and hinted at this when he apologised publicly for his behaviour on Instagram. He wrote that it was “never easy to deal with emotions in difficult moments such as the one we are facing”.
Ronaldo added: “Nevertheless, we always have to be respectful, patient and set the example for all the youngsters who love the beautiful game.
“I would like to apologise 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.”
Ronaldo’s case will now go to a hearing where witnesses will be allowed to submit written evidence.
The boy's mum, Sarah Kelly, told the Daily Mirror in August how she was left in tears after Ronaldo phoned her vowing to fight any legal case. Ronaldo accepted a police caution for assault and criminal damage. She said he was ordered to pay £200 but that the ticking off has meant he “has got away with it”.
Sarah, of Merseyside – who gave a statement to police after the assault – said: “The phone rang again and a man said, ‘Hello this is Cristiano Ronaldo.’
“He asked me if I would like to come down and meet his family. He said, ‘I’m not a bad dad.’ I said to him, ‘I never said you were a bad dad.’ He said, ‘I had a terrible upbringing, I lost my dad.’ I said to him, ‘Everybody has a sob story Ronaldo, I lost my dad young, I’ve had cancer.’
“He kept calling me Jack and didn’t even know my name and I said, ‘My name is Sarah’ and he said, ‘Oh, Sarah, I’m sorry.’ He never referred to Jacob by his name either, it was always ‘the boy’. ‘I know the boy’s got problems,’ he said. I told him, ‘He hasn’t got a problem, he has a disability, you’re the one with the problem.’
"He said ‘I’m sorry’ but then added, ‘I haven’t done anything wrong.’ He said he hadn’t ‘kicked, killed or punched anybody’. That lit my fire, I was raging and my heart was pumping and I told him, ‘So you smacking my son’s hand and bruising it, is not hurting anybody?’
“He said I don’t want it in the media or press and the court. He said he had a good legal team, he would win and he would fight me all the way. He said he knew how to play the media.”
