Erik ten Hag has been mercilessly ridiculed by fans on social media after Jadon Sancho – who he froze out at Manchester United – reached the Champions League final.
Ten Hag banished Sancho from training or eating with his team-mates after a rift in September and he did not play again before joining Dortmund on loan in January.
Sancho had publicly branded Ten Hag a liar over his reasons for dropping him in a 3-1 defeat by Arsenal in September and refused to apologise.
The manager’s principled handling of the falling-out earned him praise as it proved he trusted his own authority, even over £73million wonderkids.
However, that hasn’t stopped social media troublemakers from having their wicked way and mocking Ten Hag, whose fortunes have diverged from those of Sancho.
Fans didn’t hold back when mocking Erik ten Hag after Jadon Sancho reached the Champions League final
Sancho was frozen out by Ten Hag at Manchester United after refusing to apologise to him but is thriving on loan at Borussia Dortmund
Manchester United sit eighth in the Premier League and have just lost 4-0 to Crystal Palace; Sancho is a man rejuvenated and one game away from winning the Champions League.
‘Jadon Sancho is returning to England to play the Champions League final while Erik Ten Hag‘s boys won’t even get Conference League football next season as it stands. Interpret that as you like,’ one fan wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
‘If Jadon Sancho apologised to Erik ten Hag, he would be a bench player for the worst United side in the last 30 years instead of playing a Champions League final,’ another said.
‘Jadon Sancho reaching a Champions League Final the day after Erik ten Hag saw his team lose 4-0. Damn,’ one wrote.
‘Erik ten Hag pushed out Sancho for Antony only for him to reach a Champions League final,’ one said.
‘Jadon Sancho is going to UCL final meanwhile Erik Ten Hag is on a losing streak with no hopes of European football next season,’ one commented, posting a picture of Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola laughing.
Manchester United are eighth in the Premier League and if they fail to ascend the table they will record their worst finish since the 1989-90 season.
Sancho’s stats on loan at Dortmund – three goals and two assists in 21 games – might not look particularly inspiring but anyone who has watched him will have seen a man revitalised.
Dortmund is where he made his name between 2017 and 2021 and he is rebuilding his reputation there one game at a time.
Picking up the highest honours would only further cement the affection the Yellow Wall has for him – and leave United fans wondering why they have never seen the best of him.
