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Real Madrid Heads to Champions League Quarterfinals in Controversy Real Madrid Heads to Champions League Quarterfinals in Controversy
(about 1 hour later)
MANCHESTER, England — Cristiano Ronaldo nudged the ball over the goal line from a sharp angle then slid past the post and behind the net. As the small Real Madrid section of fans at Old Trafford roared, Ronaldo — who twirled his magic for Manchester United for six seasons before departing for Spain — held up his hands and asked the traveling fans for a bit of restraint. MANCHESTER, England — Cristiano Ronaldo nudged the ball over the goal line from a sharp angle, then slid past the post and behind the net. As the small Real Madrid section of fans at Old Trafford roared, Ronaldo, who twirled his magic for Manchester United for six seasons before departing for Spain, held up his hands and asked for restraint.
It was, in many ways, surprising. After all, this was Ronaldo’s first game back at Old Trafford since he left United and his goal with about 20 minutes remaining lifted Madrid to a 2-1 victory Tuesday and secured Real’s passage to the Champions League quarterfinals on aggregate, 3-2. If ever there was a situation to celebrate, this would seem to be it. It was, in many ways, surprising. After all, this was Ronaldo’s first game at Old Trafford since he left United, and his goal with about 20 minutes remaining gave Madrid a 2-1 lead on the night, a 3-2 aggregate lead in the two-game series and essentially secured its passage to the Champions League quarterfinals. If ever there was a situation to celebrate, this would seem to be it.
And yet Ronaldo stayed calm, as if not wanting to rub it into his former team. Perhaps, too, his reticence was an acknowledgment of the bizarre circumstances that led to his decisive goal. But Ronaldo stayed calm, as if not wanting to rub it in on his former team. And on the sideline, his manager, José Mourinho, who memorably sprinted along the touchline after his team scored an important goal here nine years ago, stayed under control, too. For both, the reticence seemed a tacit acknowledgment of the bizarre and contentious circumstances that led to Real Madrid’s eventual victory.
Indeed, even Ronaldo would admit that he was not the story of the night. Neither was United Manager Alex Ferguson, who surprisingly left one of his top scorers, Wayne Rooney, out of his starting lineup. Instead it was Cüneyt Çakır, the Turkish referee, who seized the spotlight in this hotly-anticipated Round of 16 showdown with a startling decision to send off Manchester United midfielder Nani in the 56th minute, leaving United to play more than a half-hour with only 10 men. Even Ronaldo acknowledged that he was not the story of the night. Neither was United Manager Alex Ferguson, who surprisingly left one of his top scorers, Wayne Rooney, out of the starting lineup. Instead it was Cuneyt Cakir, the Turkish referee, who seized the spotlight in this hotly anticipated Round of 16 showdown with a startling decision to send off Manchester United midfielder Nani in the 56th minute. The decision left United to play the final half-hour with only 10 men.
The decision surprised everyone — most especially Nani, who had lunged in with his foot in an attempt to play the ball away from Álvaro Arbeloa. Both players rolled on the ground in apparent pain, and Çakir reached for his pocket as he waited for Nani to get up. A yellow card seemed likely. Afterward, Ferguson was so enraged that he sent his assistant, Mike Phelan, to meet with members of the news media. Phelan laughed when asked if Ferguson had asked Cakir for an explanation. “I don’t think the manager is in any state to speak to the official,” Phelan said with a wan smile, adding that Ferguson was disturbed because he, and the United players, felt they had played a near-perfect game tactically before the red card.
As United trainers helped Nani to his feet, however, Cakir showed red. Nani stopped short, staring and a group of United players sprinted at Cakir, screaming in anger. Ferguson stormed to the sideline, shouting and pointing. Mourinho, speaking frankly, agreed. “In my opinion, the best team lost,” he said simply, applauding United’s play and criticizing his players for not responding until late in the match. Without the red card, United might well have won, Mourinho said, before adding, “But that’s football.”
But Çakir was undeterred and United, which led 2-1 on aggregate after a Sergio Ramos own-goal early in the second half, was left to hope it could contain Madrid’s ample attackers with one fewer player. Two years ago, Mourinho and Real Madrid were victimized by a similarly disputed red card when Pepe was sent off in a Champions League semifinal against Barcelona. This decision was equally harsh, Mourinho said, and he acknowledged that Cakir could have given Nani only a yellow card after he lunged in with his foot waist-high in an effort to play the ball away from Álvaro Arbeloa.
Not surprisingly, United could not. Los Blancos pulled even 10 minutes after the red card when Luca Modric ripped a curving shot from about 25 yards out, banking it into the net off the inside of the goal post. About three minutes later, Gonzalo Higuaín whipped in a cross that found Ronaldo, who turned it in as he hydroplaned on the slick turf. That made it 3-2 and all but ended United’s hope at another season of titles both in England and Europe. After the collision, both players rolled on the ground in apparent pain and Cakir reached for his pocket as he waited for Nani to get up. At that point, it seemed a yellow was forthcoming.
Çakir’s decision took the focus off Ferguson’s own controversial call — dropping Rooney. Even before Tuesday there had been plenty of speculation about which players Ferguson would choose for this match and, in the hours leading up to the game, it seemed to be the dominant topic of conversation. Ferguson, the United manager since 1986, has earned a reputation for making unexpected choices but leaving out Rooney will surely be remembered as one of his most provocative, if only because of Rooney’s stature with the club. But as United’s trainers helped Nani to his feet, Cakir showed a red. Nani stopped short, staring at the official, who is highly regarded by the European association and worked a semifinal at last year’s European Championships. A group of United players sprinted at Cakir, screaming in anger. Ferguson stormed down to the field from his seat on the bench, shouting and pointing.
Ten years ago when United also faced Real Madrid in a memorable Champions League match, Ferguson dropped another star from his lineup — that time it was David Beckham — but the circumstances with Rooney are different. Beckham’s relationship with Ferguson was already strained — who can forget the episode where Beckham’s face was cut by a cleat Ferguson kicked? — and he was already seen to be on his way out at United (he joined Real Madrid the next season). Replays showed there was significant contact between Nani’s foot and Arbeloa, but by the laws of the game Cakir had to determine that Nani had endangered the safety of his opponent with the challenge. Simply being reckless should have brought a yellow, which was United’s argument.
With Rooney, there is — or at least was — nothing close to that sort of animosity. Rooney, 27, has been at United since 2004 and while he has been linked to the occasional transfer rumor — most recently there were reports that Paris St.-Germain might be interested — Rooney maintained that he was only interested in playing for the Red Devils. Match nights like these, he has said, are what he most enjoys. “The decision was amazing,” Phelan said, shaking his head.
As early as Saturday, though, there were rumblings that Rooney, who has been a staple for Ferguson in big European matches since scoring a hat trick in his Champions League debut in 2004, could be left out since Ferguson might want to protect the away goal United scored in the first leg. Then, when Rooney played all 90 minutes in a 4-0 rout of Norwich that day — while Danny Welbeck was a substitute and Robin van Persie came off once the game was in hand — even more suspicions about Rooney’s status were raised. After Nani departed, the game unraveled quickly for United, which had stymied Real Madrid with a strong defensive effort and led by 1-0 on the night and by 2-1 on aggregate after a Sergio Ramos own-goal early in the second half. Ten minutes after Nani’s red card, though, Luca Modric ripped a curving shot from about 25 yards, banking it into the net off the goal post to equalize.
Rooney’s exclusion meant van Persie was the lone striker with the veteran Ryan Giggs making his 1,000th career senior team appearance supporting him and Welbeck, who scored in the first leg, playing on the wing. Three minutes later, Gonzalo Higuaín whipped in a cross that found Ronaldo, who had received a lengthy ovation from the United fans before the match to acknowledge his return. When he turned the ball into the net, however, the famed stadium went mostly silent as the goal all but ended United’s hope of winning titles in both England and Europe.
Welbeck played with good energy and Giggs, despite his age, 39, was the best player on the field for much of the game. But none of their performances will be remembered as much as Çakir’s, whose decision brought a stream of vitriol from the United players at the final whistle. Rio Ferdinand led a charge of players who stomped after Çakir, with Ferdinand sarcastically applauding in his face before being led away by his teammates. “It was an emotional moment for me, for both games, but especially tonight,” Ronaldo said in a television interview of facing his former club. “I do not have words to explain how I feel.”
United fans surely will not feel similarly tongue-tied when it comes to Cakir, though the referee’s decision took the focus off Ferguson’s own decision to drop Rooney from his starting lineup. Ferguson, the United manager since 1986, has a reputation for making unexpected choices, but leaving out Rooney will surely be remembered as one of his most provocative.
Rooney, 27, has been at United since 2004, and while he has been linked to the occasional transfer rumor — most recently there were reports that Paris St.-Germain might be interested — Rooney has maintained that he is only interested in playing for the Red Devils. Match nights like these, he has said, are what he most enjoys.
On Tuesday, however, he was a substitute, leaving Robin Van Persie as the lone striker with the veteran Ryan Giggs, 39, supporting him as he made his 1,000th professional appearance. Danny Welbeck, who scored in the first leg, joined Nani on the wings.
Rooney finally entered in the 73rd minute, and he helped United press for a miracle in the final moments. But Real Madrid goalkeeper Diego López was stout as Los Blancos — who are essentially out of the Spanish league title race — advanced to this tournament’s final eight.
Of course, none of the players’ performances will be remembered as much as that of Cakir, whose decision brought a stream of vitriol from the United players at the final whistle. Rio Ferdinand led a charge of United players who stomped after Cakir, with Ferdinand sarcastically applauding in the official’s face before being led away by his teammates.
Afterward, none of the United players spoke to members of the news media, reportedly on instructions from management. Ferguson also stayed away, remaining in a dressing room that Phelan described as “very distraught.”
“Playing Madrid with 11 men is very difficult,” Phelan said. “We feel very disappointed that we ended the game with 10 men.”