Dimitar Berbatov urges Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Maguire to sort their problems out after rumours of a rift emerged in the media.
Old Trafford continues to be engulfed in uncertainty as news about player problems in the background broke out last week. Cristiano Ronaldo seems to be at the forefront of the latest drama behind the scenes, as rumours of a rift with club captain Harry Maguire have been doing the rounds in the media.
While Ronaldo has received a fair share of criticism recently, Maguire has been subjected to calls to give up his captaincy after a string of unimpressive performances in a Manchester United shirt. While his displays cost the club valuable points in their quest for a top-four place, he certainly has the backing of his manager Ralf Rangnick.
Despite Rangnick, Maguire and Marcus Rashford dismissing the rumblings, the rate at which these rumours are breaking out indicates underlying problems within the corridors of Manchester United, which may not be a healthy situation for fans or the club.
Former striker Dimitar Berbatov has had his say on the developing situation between the two leading figures at Manchester United, insisting that both players need to sort the issue out without dragging it any further. The Bulgarian’s comments to Betfair appeared in the Daily Mail, as he also asked for the club captain, Maguire, to be respected amid bad performances.
Berbatov said, ‘There is always rumour and gossip going around at any club and who knows if there is anything in the story of a clash between Harry Maguire and Cristiano Ronaldo over the captaincy. Harry says that’s not the case. I hope he’s right. But if there is something to it, then I hope they can speak face-to-face and sort it out.”
“What is for sure is that this is not the sort of thing United need right now. United are fighting for a top-four spot which they need to achieve. Nobody needs to be talking about this stuff right in the middle of the season.”
Berbatov then insisted Maguire is not the type of person who would run away from his responsibilities considering he is the captain. “Obviously, Ronaldo is an icon in football, he’s done it all, and when you have a player like this in the side, you need to use him, ask for advice and listen to what he says. He leads by example during training and the way he plays,” he said.
“There is a point for Ronaldo being captain because he has experienced everything in the game. On the other hand, Maguire is the captain and, ok, he may have had the odd bad game, but I don’t think he would like to run from that responsibility. If there is anything in it, they have to come together, sit down, speak to each other and the manager and just sort it out!”
Amid all the speculations, Maguire stepped up and produced a fine display against Leeds United on Sunday, scoring in the 4-2 win. And he will hope to put an end to all these rumours with more such performances.
