- Milan derby in elite European competition
- Spot-kick call overturned at San Siro
- Former rivals continue their ward of words
WHAT HAPPENED? Milan rivals AC and Inter locked horns at San Siro on Wednesday in the first leg of their eagerly-anticipated last-four showdown. During that contest, World Cup-winning Nerazzurri striker Lautaro Martinez went down inside the box following a tussle with Simon Kjaer – resulting in referee Jesus Gil Manzano pointing to the spot and booking the Rossoneri defender. That decision was reversed following a VAR review but ex-Manchester United centre-half Ferdinand – who was working as a pundit for BT – said it was a “stonewall” penalty and the original call should have stood.
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WHAT THEY SAID: Carragher, working for CBS Sports, said of the incident: “I think anyone out there who is watching the replay and seeing what VAR do and still believe that is a penalty, they must be a clown.”
It was later put to him that his former Liverpool colleague Steven Gerrard thought a penalty should have been awarded, leading Carragher to say: “He was an attacking player, wasn't he? He was liable a little bit himself under a little bit of contact - always contact, never a dive. I understand where he is coming from. It's just when players in my position who are defenders, English defenders who are commentating on the game.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Carragher went on to add, when pushed to name those he believes got “carried away” in their assessment of Kjaer’s challenge: “I can understand attackers thinking it was a penalty (turning to Thierry Henry) if you did, and Stevie was an attacker. Maybe he felt there was a little bit of contact. But as a defender we have to stick together don't we, and I just felt people were getting a little bit carried away. Rio Ferdinand. I'm happy to call him a clown!”
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT? Ferdinand and Carragher have clashed before over Cristiano Ronaldo’s involvement at Manchester United towards the end of the Portuguese’s second spell at Old Trafford. The ex-Red Devils star joked that a one-time Liverpool rival was upset at seeing the five-time Ballon d’Or winner refuse to shake his hand during coverage of a game from Old Trafford.
At the time, Carragher tweeted: “No I'm delighted it went viral! Rio I know how it works, he's your mate & you/Evra & the rest are on the group WhatsApp & he asks you to come out & defend him. Don't be his fan boy you're Rio Ferdinand for FFS!!” Ferdinand responded by saying: “What WhatsApp group?! Leave off lad…I want this same energy with Roy Keane when ya next in the studio ffs. Stop getting bullied.”