Portsmouth News 24/7Writer: pompeyrug 
Date:Thursday August 16 2007
Time: 10:51AM
UK time is: 05:50:08
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Fergie claims Ronaldo was 'provoked'
Sir Alex Ferguson has told sky sports news how Cristiano Ronaldo was 'provoked' into head butting Richard Hughes when he was sent off 'my take is that he was provoked. He's fallen into the trap and he's paid the penalty for it.
'He was surprised at the decision. But Steve Bennett has sent him off before, and I think he took great delight in sending him off too.
'So it was a missed opportunity of staying on the pitch and winning the game against 10 men'.
I agree Fergie, the winker was provoked into it so it makes it okay, bad Mr Bennett!
There might not have been a great deal of contact with Hughes, who may well have been 'provoking' him into what he did but the simple truth is you cannot put your head to another players and expect to get away with it!
Players are responsible for their own actions, so as harsh as it might have seemed, by the letter of the law Steve Bennett, who personally I cannot stand as a referee, had little option and sent him off, as he would have to a Pompey player - and as frustrated as I would have been it would have been the right call and one I would have had to accept - as I am Sulley Muntari's red card.
Muntari would have more cause for complaint as maybe he was a touch unfortunate with his two yellow cards, but again although maybe he could have got away with just a talking too as opposed to his second yellow, he did dive in so left Bennett with little option did he? His past reputation probably went before him, but he will have to learn not to lunge into players in such a way, as it will keep going against him.
He will now miss the Chelsea game I believe, which will see him missed immensely but he will learn from this - as he will have to!
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Your Comments
lets face it, playors dont just headbutt each other for fun. Muntaris' first yellow was for the team, as he brought dwn ronaldo, who was getting into a possible scoring position. his second was a wreckless chalenge, and steve benet had litle choice. It seems harsh, but they are the laws. Ronaldos was also a strait red, but as i said, playors dont just headbutt each other (i imagine it hurts them too) for no reason, so to say he was "provocked" is really a relativley simple comment, thet isnt actualy that useful to anyone.
pompeycarpet
players wind each other up all the time, ive even heard it, but it is the weak that react as ronaldo did... it wasnt much but it was enough, you dont raise your hands and you dont put your head into anyone, if you do you know what you wil get and he got what was coming to him a red card... yep, muntari was unlucky, but likewise he had to go didnt he.
pompeyrug
pompeycarpet in regasrds to the second challenge it was stupid. But you are the first person who thinks that 1st challenge was a booking. I have listened to the radio, watched and listened to TV and read the papers on the net and all seem to think the first challenge was not a card offence. Muntari like ronaldo comes wioth a reputation but lets judge each offence on iut's merits. .
russellm
Alex ferguson always lies to defend his babies, always has a different point of view and as Martin samuel says his players NEVER!!! provoke anybody. Most good managers are like that
russellm
russellm, i'm also probably the only qualified referee to have voiced an opinion on one of these sites ;-). In fact, the first one was a plain and simple yellow - he took the playor out with no attempt to take the ball. In fact, it should be the second tackle that could be disussed. The law says it had to b careless, wreckless , or using excesive force (nothing about studs showing, 2 footed etc) - and i reckon that the chalenge fits into all 3. It was certainly careless, and a little bit recklass at how much crrick showed him the ball, and he definatly used excesive force in the dive. Nope, a sending off down to the laws of the game...but still...
pompeycarpet
God I hate Man United. What a bunch of sucks.
Toronto4Pompey
whilst i dont doubt your qualifications, unless i am mistaken you are not a week in week out premiership refree. The peoplee who played the game on a regular basis and those who are in and around football do not agree with you. They also said that Bennet has under the laws of the game the disgression to not book, and he should of used it, they do not believe it was a reckless challenge. But hey referee's always know best and they never make mistyekes or mis interpretations, reminds me of lawyers.
russellm
by the way in my media trawl this morning i discovered we are going to Guti, we are swapping taylor and dosh for Solano, We are offering neil and dosh for Solano, we are offering taylor and dosh for Anelka, we are offering taylor and dosh for Yak, we are offering oneil and dosh for Yak, ditto defoe.
russellm
I hope somebody 'winked' at him when he left the pitch!
dazza71
im sure he got a few gestures even if he wasnt winked at :) yep, the common theme seems to be matty taylor tho doesnt it - im getting a seriously worried that 'arry wants him out and if he really is touting him about as he was said to have lua which made him go, i worry we will be seeing matty leave sooner rather than later... solano in exchange for matty would be such a massive step backwards for us wouldnt it...
pompeyrug
No complaints about Muntari's red card both were bad challenges. As for Ronaldo, well TV pictures don'
t really show what happened but they do show Steve Bennett standing 6 feet away and looking straight at the incident. Ronaldo certainly made it an easy decision by not trying to hide it.
Steve C
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