It's fair to say that Cristiano
Ronaldo probably finds it difficult to accept when things are
his fault. Now, rather than coming clean and just admitting that he
made a stupid mistake when he handled the ball for his second
bookable offence on Sunday during the Manchester derby between
City
and United,
he has blamed referee Howard Webb.
Webb was left with no choice but to give Ronaldo his second
yellow card after the forward somewhat bizarrely jumped and palmed
the ball away following a United corner rather than heading it. The
Portuguese player claims that he was actually acting 'responsibly'
though.
The player had received his first yellow card a few minutes
earlier for a foul on City's Shaun Wright-Phillips, a player who
was allegedly targeted for rough treatment by United's
midfielders.
"Rooney took the corner, I jumped and that was when I heard a
shout from (Micah) Richards and simultaneously the sound of a
whistle," said Ronaldo earlier.
"At that moment I was convinced the referee had blown for a
foul. I stopped trying to head the ball and score a goal and I
grabbed the ball so that Richards could get help.
"It never entered my mind that the referee would show me a
yellow card because for me I had not done anything wrong. To the
contrary after Richards yelled I thought he was hurt and needed
assistance.
"I heard the whistle, so I took the initiative and stopped the
match."
And Ronaldo was even prepared to blame the Manchester City
supporters for what happened.
"I understood the referee wanted to talk to me but maybe
influenced by the fans, he put his hand in his pocket and sent me
off," the player added.
"I tried to explain what happened but he did not want to
listen."
