Ferguson admits Ronaldo fears
Sunday, 19 August 2007
MANCHESTER, Aug 18(AFP): Sir Alex Ferguson fears Cristiano Ronaldo could suffer a serious injury unless referees begin to clamp down on cynical fouls against the Manchester United winger.
Ronaldo (22) is out of Sunday's derby game against Manchester City at Eastlands after receiving a three-match ban following his red card for head-butting Portsmouth midfielder Richard Hughes during Wednesday's Premiership draw at Fratton Park.
The Portugal international was subjected to a rough treatment by Harry Redknapp's team before lashing out against Hughes in the closing stages of the game.
And although United boss Ferguson refused to defend Ronaldo for retaliating, he insisted that flair players like Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez are being let-down by officials and that the consequences are potentially serious.
Ferguson said: "It has been going on for a hundred years where the perpetrator of an incident ends up getting less punishment than the other player and Ronaldo fell into the trap at Portsmouth.''
Ronaldo will miss the City game because of it and that's very disappointing, but it was the same referee Wednesday that sent him off against City a couple of years ago after he had been picked all over the pitch. It's a bitter experience for Cristiano.
Ronaldo (22) is out of Sunday's derby game against Manchester City at Eastlands after receiving a three-match ban following his red card for head-butting Portsmouth midfielder Richard Hughes during Wednesday's Premiership draw at Fratton Park.
The Portugal international was subjected to a rough treatment by Harry Redknapp's team before lashing out against Hughes in the closing stages of the game.
And although United boss Ferguson refused to defend Ronaldo for retaliating, he insisted that flair players like Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez are being let-down by officials and that the consequences are potentially serious.
Ferguson said: "It has been going on for a hundred years where the perpetrator of an incident ends up getting less punishment than the other player and Ronaldo fell into the trap at Portsmouth.''
Ronaldo will miss the City game because of it and that's very disappointing, but it was the same referee Wednesday that sent him off against City a couple of years ago after he had been picked all over the pitch. It's a bitter experience for Cristiano.