Cristiano Ronaldo has been charged with “improper and/or violent” conduct by the FA for an incident dating back five months.
The Manchester United forward appeared to smash a fan’s phone at the end of last season at the Goodison Park.
After United’s 1-0 loss to Everton on April 9, footage showed Ronaldo knocking the Everton fan’s cellphone on the ground.
La FA abrió un proceso en contra de Cristiano Ronaldo por su conducta inapropiada con un aficionado del Everton. El hecho ocurrió el pasado 9 de abril.
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Merseyside Police issued the Portuguese a warning for the incident. However, the FA has charged him with violating Rule E3, which deals with aggressive and/or improper behavior.
“Cristiano Ronaldo has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3 for an incident that took place after Manchester United FC’s Premier League match against Everton on Saturday 9 April 2022,” said a FA spokesperson.
“It is alleged that the forward’s conduct after the final whistle was improper and/or violent.”
Ronaldo had already expressed regret for the incident and, as an act of “fair-play and sportsmanship,” had even invited the fan to Old Trafford.
The boy’s mother, however, rejected the offer: “It’s like we owe him a favour but I’m sorry, we don’t.
It’s in the hands of the police,” she said.
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If found guilty of the charge, Ronaldo could face a ban from upcoming Premier League matches.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has only started in the league once this season under Erik ten Hag after failing to force a move away from Old Trafford during the transfer window.
In a statement, United said: “We note the FA announcement in relation to Cristiano Ronaldo.
“We will be supporting the player in response to the charge.”
Meanwhile, Ronaldo is currently on international duty with Portugal, who take on Czech Republic and Spain over the coming days.
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