MANCHESTER UNITED legend Rio Ferdinand has admitted that he was “embarrassed” by the reception fans gave Ronaldo during the 2003 Champions League.
Ferdinand starred for the Red Devils when they hosted Real Madrid in the second leg of the quarter-final 20 years ago.
Los Blancos went into the game with a 3-1 advantage over Sir Alex Ferguson’s side thanks to goals from Luis Figo and Raul at the Santiago Bernabeu.
They added to that goal tally just 12 minutes into the second-leg clash at Old Trafford as Brazilian striker Ronaldo fired the ball into the bottom corner of Fabien Barthez’s goal.
Despite United’s impressive fight back, which saw them earn a 4-3 victory on the night, Real Madrid progressed to the semi-finals thanks to Ronaldo’s now-iconic hat-trick.
The Brazilian’s performance left the Old Trafford crowd in awe, so much so that he received an overwhelming round of applause from Man Utd fans while making his way over to the bench after being replaced by Santiago Solario.
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However, the response from Man Utd fans left Ferdinand furious.
The former England international told BT Sport: “A pleasure to be on the same pitch as the great man. But he’s getting a standing ovation, look.
“The opposing striker is getting a standing ovation at our own ground. Unheard of. Nah, I was embarrassed, man. I was so embarrassed.
“It’s [Ronaldo’s first] not a great goal. It ain’t. I don’t care. Zidane plays into Guti. What a run from Ronaldo.
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“He’s running across there, he shoots an angle, he knows he can’t get away from me there. He knows he’s got to take it early.
“Barthez, he can only go in the near post. I’ve got him where I want him, going away from goal. He can only go near post… Fabien? Fabien, man! Have you got Fabien’s number? Can we get it? We need to go back over this.
“Let’s dissect this goal [the second]. He’s in the six-yard box. There’s no defender within touching distance. But I could have stopped it at the source. My fault, man. I take that. It was me. I take that.
“We’re dropping off [for the third]. I’ve got to get up. I’ve got to squeeze the play a bit. But… Fabien, what are you doing?!”
Real Madrid were eventually knocked out of the Champions League following a 4-3 defeat to Juventus on aggregate.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
