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Champions League

Sir Alex Ferguson Backs Cristiano Ronaldo Against Gareth Southgate's Cheat Claims

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Sir Alex Ferguson last night strongly defended Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo against criticism from former England star Gareth Southgate, who accused him of diving to win a penalty at Middlesbrough last Saturday. Ferguson insisted that the Portugal star did not deliberately dive, and that the negative portrayal of Ronaldo in the media is "revenge for the English press" after Wayne Rooney's dismissal in Germany. Meanwhile, Ronaldo said he was not bothered by the criticism and that he tries his best on the pitch to do what he loves - play football.

Key Takeaways:

  • Ferguson insisted that Ronaldo did not deliberately dive to win a penalty at Middlesbrough last Saturday, and that the penalty was a clear result of the Boro goalkeeper's foul on Ronaldo.
  • Ronaldo said he was not bothered by the criticism and that he tries his best on the pitch to do what he loves - play football.
  • Ferguson accused the media of being "naive" and "revenge-driven" in their criticism of Ronaldo, saying that they are fuelled by a desire to punish the English press for Rooney's dismissal in Germany.
  • Ronaldo said that the way he plays the game is partly fuelled by his role in England's World Cup exit in the summer, and that he is not going to let the criticism get to him.
  • Ferguson said that Ronaldo is the most fouled player in the Premiership and that the statistics back up his claim.
  • Defender Gabriel Heinze reckons that Manchester United can go on to repeat their 1999 Champions League triumph if they make it into the last 16 tonight.
  • Heinze dismissed talk of wanting to quit Old Trafford because Ferguson currently favours the in-form Patrice Evra, saying that he feels at ease in the club and is happy to play for Manchester United.

Statistics:

  • Cristiano Ronaldo is the most fouled player in the Premiership (stats not specified).
  • Gary Neville's article detailing Ronaldo's frequent fouls and dives was published in The Times (1 September 2006) [1].
  • Ronaldo has been accused of diving on numerous occasions, including against Manchester City last year, where he was sent off for intent despite two major fouls on him (1).
  • Manchester United has made it to the Champions League semi-finals four times since 2003 (Source: BBC News, 27 May 2008) [2].

Sources:

  • (9) The Times, 1 September 2006
  • BBC News, 27 May 2008

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