Ronaldo given two-game ban for fan phone row

Cristiano Ronaldo will be suspended for his first two games with his next club after the striker was handed a ban by the Football Association following an incident involving a fan’s phone.

Ronaldo was given a police caution after appearing to knock a phone out of a young supporter’s hand after Manchester United‘s game at Everton in April.

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The FA have also handed down a sanction which will apply to Ronaldo’s next two domestic games after it was announced on Tuesday that he has left Old Trafford. The ban would apply in any country governed by FIFA regulations.

A statement issued by the FA on Wednesday read: “Cristiano Ronaldo has been suspended for two matches, fined £50,000 and warned as to his future conduct for a breach of FA Rule E3.

“The forward admitted that his conduct after the final whistle of the Premier League game between Manchester United FC and Everton FC on Saturday 9 April 2022 was improper. An independent Regulatory Commission found that his conduct was both improper and violent during a subsequent hearing, and imposed these sanctions.”

United announced they had reached a “mutual” termination of Ronaldo’s contract following his interview with Piers Morgan during which Ronaldo, 37, criticised the club and manager Erik ten Hag.

He will be free to play for Portugal at the World Cup in Qatar.