Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson has retired from football management but has still not forgot the time Turkish referee Cüneyt Çakır sent off Luis Nani in the Champions League Round of 16 second-leg tie against Real Madrid.
Nani was sent off in a controversial decision following a collision with Madrid’s Alvaro Arbeloa and Real went onto win the game 2-1.
Speaking at the South Bank Centre about his new book Leading Ferguson was quoted by Turkish-football.com as saying: “The decision by the referee to send off Nani was ridiculous.”
Çakır defended his decision at the time as being correct and UEFA backed him.
“I don’t doubt about my decisions. The red card to Nani was right. People will realise it one day,” Cakir told AS.
“It doesn’t make me feel sad. I don’t even think about it. I have received more critics other times and I always recover from that.‘I always try to do my job correctly and I’m on the right path. I have to keep doing things properly.”
Nani ended up winning four Premier League titles the Champions League and the World Club Cup at United before being loaned to Sporting Lisbon last season and finally joining Fenerbahçe on a three-year deal over the summer transfer window.
The Portuguese international has hit the ground running in Turkey and has been directly involved either scoring or providing an assist in the Yellow Canaries last six goals.
Nani has four goals and two assists for the Istanbul giants in all competitions this season.
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