'Cristiano Ronaldo deserves to feel important' - Eric Bailly insists 'it's a shame' how CR7's second Man Utd spell ended

The Portugal superstar was forced out of United in November 2022 after comments made to Piers Morgan denigrating multiple aspects of the club, including manager Erik ten Hag, with a move to Saudi outfit Al-Nassr made official two months later. And Bailly feels Ronaldo's experience at United was not befitting of his status under Ten Hag, as the centre-back believes "the best player in the world" should be treated as such.

Ronaldo scored 18 league goals in 30 games in 2021-22 after his sensation return to Old Trafford from Juventus, but fell out of favour after Ten Hag's arrival as manager. Bailly told The Athletic when quizzed on the forward's acrominious departure: "Cristiano Ronaldo returned, the legend coming back. He was the best player in the world for me. Even when he returned, Cristiano contributed a lot to the club and a player like Cristiano deserves to feel important. It’s a shame he left in the circumstances he did.”

The defender also opened up on his awe at coming up against Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and others while playing for Villarreal. He added: "Everything went well there [at Villarreal]. I went back to Spain and my first away game was at Real Madrid against Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo. We drew 1-1. The next season, we played Liverpool in the semi-final of the Europa League. We won 1-0 at home but lost 3-0 away. I couldn’t play in the game at Anfield as I was injured. But it was all an incredible experience. I’d gone from being a reserve player to playing in a European semi-final in no time. I was learning all the time playing under Marcelino. I was playing against Xavi and Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez and Cristiano Ronaldo. It would have been impossible to see that path.”

Unfortunately for Bailly, his career has taken a slow downward trajectory after joining United in 2016. Lack of playing time under Ten Hag saw him land a move to Besiktas, but his contract with the Turkish giants was terminated last week - less than four months after joining - over reportedly "poor performances". Ronaldo, meanwhile, has hardly looked back since joining Al-Nassr, being crowned 2023's top scorer with an astounding 54 goals to his name for club and country.

United have struggled without the mercurial Portuguese forward, at least this term. Ten Hag's side boast the joint-third-lowest goals scored tally in the league (22) alongside Crystal Palace, with only newly promoted clubs Burnley (20) and Sheffield United (15) scoring fewer this campaign.

The 38-year-old forward will celebrate a landmark calendar year with a rest period, as Saudi football breaks for the 2023 Asian Cup. Bailly, meanwhile, will be on the lookout for a new club in the hopes of revitalising his stagnated career. A potential reunion in the Middle East cannot be ruled out.