Nani's dismissal might have looked harsh, but United were lucky Rafael didn't see red too... and Rio could find himself in hot water after sarcastic applause at referee Cakir



TRIGGER HAPPY REFEREE

Sportsmail's Graham Poll warned Manchester United (and Nani) about Cuneyt Cakir before Tuesday's match. The Turk has form for sending off players from English sides, and has red-carded the likes of John Terry, Mario Balotelli and Steven Gerrard in the past. Read Graham's column on Cakir from before United's defeat.

Manchester United will feel robbed of the chance to progress in the Champions League and cite the dismissal of Nani in the 56th minute as the turning point of the game.



However, they should have had a player sent off just a few minutes after the Nani incident when a goal bound effort was blocked on the line by the arm of United full back Rafael.

Had Cuneyt Cakir merely cautioned Nani and dismissed Rafael then United fans would have felt hard done by - but not cheated as they did with the dismissal of Nani.



Disbelief: Nani (centre) was distraught after Cuneyt Cakir sent him off for a high challenge

Handed a reprieve: Rafael could also have been sent off had this handball been spotted

The Portuguese winger challenged for the ball with a raised foot and only had eyes for the ball but caught Alvaro Arbeloa. It looked like dangerous play and at worst a yellow card.



Cakir stood and waited for Nani to get up as he appeared to be injured from the challenge.



It is said that the best referees avoid surprises – this referee clearly does not agree with that and shocked the entire crowd at Old Trafford.



However, I understand that the protection of players and ensuring their safety is drummed into UEFA referees at all seminars and with Pierluigi Collina, the European referees’ chief, sitting in the stand, Cakir will have felt enormous pressure to follow those guidelines.



Those elite UEFA referees watching will not have been surprised at the red card but the English ones would acknowledge they would not have dismissed a player for the same offence in a Premier League game.

Former United midfielder Roy Keane, analysing the incident, supported the red card and the more you watch the incident the more you can see why the Turkish referee decided that the red card was the appropriate sanction.

So, had Cakir been advised to dismiss Rafael as well, then Manchester United would have had just nine players and faced a penalty.

Cakir was having a superb game. He was almost faultless in the first half and despite the debate of the Nani red card he continued refereeing consistently through the game and would, I expect, be congratulated by UEFA on his performance.

Unlike Rio Ferdinand, who could well face a charge for his sarcastic applauding in the face of Cakir after the final whistle.



Poor form: Rio Ferdinand (right) applauded in the referee's face after the final whistle

Admitting defeat: Patrice Evra (right) and Ashley Young (centre) walk off the pitch

The boss: Former Italian referee Pierluigi Collina

AND IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME... REMEMBER THE 'TYPICAL GERMANS'?

Nani's controversial dismissal at Old Trafford on Tuesday has shades of another decision which will make Manchester United fans wince. Rafael, who Sportsmail's Graham Poll believes was fortunate to last the course of United's clash with Real Madrid on Tuesday, was red-carded at Old Trafford in 2010 after picking up two bookings in a Champions League tie against Bayern Munich. United were cruising before Rafael pulled Franck Ribery back in the 50th minute, picking up his second booking. Arjen Robben's wonderfully struck volley put the tie at 3-2 to United on the night, 4-4 on aggregate.

Bayern progressed on away goals and, like on Tuesday night, Ferguson was furious with referee Nicola Rizzoli's decision, claiming the official had been influenced by the Bundesliga side's players when they surrounded the Italian.

He said after that game: 'They got him sent off. There's no doubt about that and they would have never won if we had 11 men. He [Rafael] is a young boy, inexperienced and there's a bit of immaturity about what happened but they got him sent off. Typical Germans. 'That sending off changed the game. I thought they were typical professionals in the way they saw the opportunity and forced the referee. It was only a slight tug at the boy and, Jesus, he was 35 yards from goal.'

