Manchester United and England legend Rio Ferdinand has launched a scathing critique of UEFA officials after Brazilian midfielder Casemiro received a controversial red card during United's dramatic 3-2 Champions League defeat to Galatasaray.
The former defender, speaking on TNT Sports, branded the decision "extremely harsh" and questioned the consistency of European football's governing body after the pivotal moment changed the complexion of the match at Old Trafford.
Game-Changing Moment
The incident occurred when Casemiro, already on a yellow card, challenged Galatasaray's Dries Mertens near the halfway line. Despite the Brazilian appearing to win the ball cleanly, referee Ivan Kruzliak deemed the challenge worthy of a second yellow card, reducing United to ten men while trailing 2-1.
Ferdinand expressed his disbelief during post-match analysis, stating: "I think it's harsh. I think it's extremely harsh. He gets the ball cleanly. Yes, there's a follow-through but that's part of the game, that's a natural momentum."
Questioning Consistency
The pundit highlighted concerning inconsistencies in UEFA's officiating, pointing to similar incidents that went unpunished in other Champions League fixtures. "We've seen challenges like that not even given as fouls in other games this week," Ferdinand noted, adding to growing concerns about variable refereeing standards across the competition.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag echoed these sentiments in his post-match press conference, suggesting the decision disproportionately impacted the game's outcome against the Turkish champions.
Consequences for United
The dismissal compounds Manchester United's disastrous start to their Champions League campaign, leaving them bottom of Group A with zero points from two matches. Casemiro's suspension will now rule him out of the crucial upcoming fixture against Copenhagen, further depleting Ten Hag's options in midfield.
This incident reignites the ongoing debate about video technology implementation and referee education in European football, with many questioning whether VAR should have intervened to overturn what appears to be a decisive and questionable decision.
