• Champions League

No UEFA action against Ferdinand

ESPN staff
March 7, 2013
Rio Ferdinand was angry at the sending off of Nani against Real Madrid © AP
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Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand will not face disciplinary action after sarcastically clapping referee Cuneyt Cakir at the end of the Champions League last-16 second leg match against Real Madrid, UEFA has confirmed.

Ferdinand was furious over the performance of Cakir, who ruled that Nani's 59th-minute high challenge on Alvaro Arbeloa was worthy of a red card. The decision changed the pattern of the game as United had been leading 1-0 and went on to lose 2-1 to crash out of the competition.

The defender visibly clapped in the Turkish referee's face after the final whistle but it appears that neither Cakir nor the match delegate included the incident in their report.

A UEFA spokesman told Press Association Sport: "From the report we have received from the referee we will not take any action apart from the disciplinary proceedings against Manchester United for the red card of Nani and for post-match media obligations not being fulfilled.''

In 2005, Wayne Rooney was sent off after being shown a second yellow card when he sarcastically applauded referee Kim Milton Nielsen during a 1-1 draw against Spanish side Villarreal in the Champions League.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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