When Manchester United's devastated players finally emerged from the dressing room, they would not, probably could not talk. The club had advised them to stay silent over Cuneyt Cakir’s unspeakable decision to send off Nani. Their inner fury, the anger in the eyes said it all.
Turning point: the referee sends off Nani in the harshest of circumstances Photo: ACTION IMAGES
United’s
players felt the victims of grand larceny. It was impossible not to
sympathise. A 36-year-old insurance agent from Istanbul knocked United out
of Europe.
Too many officials are too easily castigated in the modern era that is long on
scrutiny and short on patience yet Cakir needs calling to account. He needs
to explain to the Uefa referee observer, Pierluigi Collina, his thought
process behind dismissing Nani after 56 minutes.
Nani’s foot was undoubtedly high as he collided with Álvaro Arbeloa but he was
not looking at the Real
Madrid full-back. There was no malice, no intent. Nani’s eyes were
on the ball. He did not even know Arbeloa was arriving fast. Caught
accidentally by Nani, Arbeloa went down and stayed down, clutching his
midriff.
Faced with a coming-together of players, both of whom were now lying on the
ground, Cakir could have erred on the side of caution and simply shown Nani
a yellow card. Cakir did not disappoint any of the Real players hoping for
really punitive action. He waved a red card. Nani looked bemused before the
reality of his fate sank in. Now United inquisitors laid into Cakir, with
Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand leading the protest party.
Sir Alex Ferguson launched himself from his seat in the dug-out like a
claymore flying through the air. He railed against the fourth official,
Mustafa Eyisoy, who gestured for him to calm down. Ferguson’s frequent
antipathy towards officials can stir widespread annoyance but his splenetic
mood was permissible here.
United were doing so well, playing so well. His team were leading through Sergio Ramos’s own goal. His tactics were working with Ryan Giggs outstanding on the right in helping Rafael to subdue Cristiano Ronaldo. Giggs, making his 1,000th senior appearance, was rolling back the years, taking on opponents, sliding into tackles, bemusing Fabio Coentrao at times. Ryan Giggs: tearing full-backs apart since 1991.
Ferguson’s decision to leave Wayne Rooney on the bench, a huge gamble in many observers’ eyes, was being vindicated. Nani was delivering, crossing and panicking Ramos into that mistake. Danny Welbeck was linking well with Robin van Persie while also dropping back to stifle Xabi Alonso. United were counter-attacking well. Vidic hit a post. Diego López saved from Van Persie and Welbeck.
Real were being beaten at their own game. Ferguson was winning the tactical battle against Jose Mourinho. The quarter-finals beckoned.
And then this. And then this act of folly by Cakir. It was only one decision, lacking the succession of mistakes that Tom Henning Ovrebo made against Chelsea in 2009, but it proved equally damaging. A good game was ruined by a bad refereeing decision. A great occasion was spoiled for the home fans and a huge global television audience by the man from the banks of the Bosphorus.
Good luck to Turkish Airlines renewing that United contract.
Mourinho was right. The whole world did stop to watch, probably open-mouthed at Cakir’s aberration. Questions will inevitably be asked about Cakir. Three years younger than Giggs, Cakir is considered one of Uefa’s most promising officials yet this was only his 12th Champions League game. He has been involved in red cards with English clubs before, notably (and rightly) expelling John Terry from Chelsea’s semi-final against Barcelona. He also sent off Steven Gerrard for two yellow cards, the second of which was debatable.
In a game of this magnitude, Cakir had to be 100 per cent sure that Nani had been reckless in pursuing the ball. As Nani sloped away, a disconsolate figure, the inevitable happened. Mourinho seized the opportunity, exploiting United’s reduced numbers. He sent on Luka Modric, who scored after 66 minutes, a delightful goal struck in via a post from 20 yards. Ronaldo applied the coup de grâce after 69 minutes, sliding in Gonzalo Higuaín’s cross but showed some grace in refusing to celebrate.
It was bitterly frustrating for United’s players, for Ferguson and for their fans, who made so much noise for so little reward. After the red card, Ferguson had gestured to the Stretford End to crank up the volume even more. United supporters did not need much urging as they were understandably furious at Cakir’s decision, funnelling their anger into their words.
Even as the goals went in and they went out, United fans still sang.
United almost pulled one back when Michael Carrick headed goalwards but López saved. Real’s keeper, spreading himself well, then saved from Van Persie while Rooney, who had finally come on after 73 minutes for the hard-working Tom Cleverley, hooked a close-range volley over.
United fans kept chanting, kept hoping. Committed to attack, United inevitably left space at the back. Ronaldo almost added a second, forcing David de Gea into a low save.
Ferguson was juggling his resources, trying to repeat the miracle of Camp Nou in 1999. Ashley Young came on, Antonio Valencia arrived but they were no Teddy Sheringham or Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Real still counter-attacked in between time-wasting. A Kaka shot clipped Carrick and hit the post.
Mourinho had seen enough. He shook hands with Ferguson and quietly and quickly headed to the tunnel as the game was still going on. At the final whistle, Cakir was roundly booed. Ferdinand went up to him and applauded sarcastically in his face. United fans whistled at Cakir and continued to sing “We shall not be moved’’.
They were moved. Moved to boo Cakir loudly. Afterwards, Ferguson was too emotionally drained to talk to the media, an act that may cost him a Uefa fine. Good luck to Michel Platini, Uefa’s president, when he next bumps into Ferguson. The great knight of English football usually talks respectfully about Uefa but the whole of Nyon may receive the hairdryer treatment when Ferguson decides.
Wonderful European fixtures like this should not be decided by a referee’s incompetence. Even Mourinho was contrite afterwards. United’s fans deserved better, so too Ferguson and his players. Cakir is unlikely to be refereeing in England for a while.
United were doing so well, playing so well. His team were leading through Sergio Ramos’s own goal. His tactics were working with Ryan Giggs outstanding on the right in helping Rafael to subdue Cristiano Ronaldo. Giggs, making his 1,000th senior appearance, was rolling back the years, taking on opponents, sliding into tackles, bemusing Fabio Coentrao at times. Ryan Giggs: tearing full-backs apart since 1991.
Ferguson’s decision to leave Wayne Rooney on the bench, a huge gamble in many observers’ eyes, was being vindicated. Nani was delivering, crossing and panicking Ramos into that mistake. Danny Welbeck was linking well with Robin van Persie while also dropping back to stifle Xabi Alonso. United were counter-attacking well. Vidic hit a post. Diego López saved from Van Persie and Welbeck.
Real were being beaten at their own game. Ferguson was winning the tactical battle against Jose Mourinho. The quarter-finals beckoned.
And then this. And then this act of folly by Cakir. It was only one decision, lacking the succession of mistakes that Tom Henning Ovrebo made against Chelsea in 2009, but it proved equally damaging. A good game was ruined by a bad refereeing decision. A great occasion was spoiled for the home fans and a huge global television audience by the man from the banks of the Bosphorus.
Good luck to Turkish Airlines renewing that United contract.
Mourinho was right. The whole world did stop to watch, probably open-mouthed at Cakir’s aberration. Questions will inevitably be asked about Cakir. Three years younger than Giggs, Cakir is considered one of Uefa’s most promising officials yet this was only his 12th Champions League game. He has been involved in red cards with English clubs before, notably (and rightly) expelling John Terry from Chelsea’s semi-final against Barcelona. He also sent off Steven Gerrard for two yellow cards, the second of which was debatable.
In a game of this magnitude, Cakir had to be 100 per cent sure that Nani had been reckless in pursuing the ball. As Nani sloped away, a disconsolate figure, the inevitable happened. Mourinho seized the opportunity, exploiting United’s reduced numbers. He sent on Luka Modric, who scored after 66 minutes, a delightful goal struck in via a post from 20 yards. Ronaldo applied the coup de grâce after 69 minutes, sliding in Gonzalo Higuaín’s cross but showed some grace in refusing to celebrate.
It was bitterly frustrating for United’s players, for Ferguson and for their fans, who made so much noise for so little reward. After the red card, Ferguson had gestured to the Stretford End to crank up the volume even more. United supporters did not need much urging as they were understandably furious at Cakir’s decision, funnelling their anger into their words.
Even as the goals went in and they went out, United fans still sang.
United almost pulled one back when Michael Carrick headed goalwards but López saved. Real’s keeper, spreading himself well, then saved from Van Persie while Rooney, who had finally come on after 73 minutes for the hard-working Tom Cleverley, hooked a close-range volley over.
United fans kept chanting, kept hoping. Committed to attack, United inevitably left space at the back. Ronaldo almost added a second, forcing David de Gea into a low save.
Ferguson was juggling his resources, trying to repeat the miracle of Camp Nou in 1999. Ashley Young came on, Antonio Valencia arrived but they were no Teddy Sheringham or Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Real still counter-attacked in between time-wasting. A Kaka shot clipped Carrick and hit the post.
Mourinho had seen enough. He shook hands with Ferguson and quietly and quickly headed to the tunnel as the game was still going on. At the final whistle, Cakir was roundly booed. Ferdinand went up to him and applauded sarcastically in his face. United fans whistled at Cakir and continued to sing “We shall not be moved’’.
They were moved. Moved to boo Cakir loudly. Afterwards, Ferguson was too emotionally drained to talk to the media, an act that may cost him a Uefa fine. Good luck to Michel Platini, Uefa’s president, when he next bumps into Ferguson. The great knight of English football usually talks respectfully about Uefa but the whole of Nyon may receive the hairdryer treatment when Ferguson decides.
Wonderful European fixtures like this should not be decided by a referee’s incompetence. Even Mourinho was contrite afterwards. United’s fans deserved better, so too Ferguson and his players. Cakir is unlikely to be refereeing in England for a while.
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