While Manchester United and Liverpool wing their way to Bangkok today, one high-profile player isn’t on board – forward Cristiano Ronaldo.
The football star fans were hyped to see Tuesday at the Bangkok Century Cup at Rajamangala Stadium, was said to be taking time off to “deal with a family issue.”
The stadium has been renovated to replicate the feeling of being at a football game in England for the highly anticipated one-night only footie match, dubbed by fans as the “Red War.” Rapper Jackson Wang is slated to perform as the opening act 6pm to 7pm.
But Ronaldo’s absence will likely be a disappointment for many fans. The 37-year-old did not appear at club’s activities including pre-season training Monday in Carrington, England.
His absence follows an ongoing transfer dispute in which Ronaldo requested to leave the football club to join a Champions League club to continue playing for major honors after Manchester United failed to secure a top-four finish last season.
Manchester United remained resolute in keeping Ronaldo, saying he still has 12 more months in his contract and was not for sale.
