The New Paper,
21 March 2007, Pg. 63
Manchester United's players and coaching staff have leapt to the
defence of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Just as Sir Alex Ferguson thought the abuse Ronaldo has been
subjected to this season was beginning to subside, his brilliant
young winger has been forced to endure another torment.
FA Cup quarter-final victims Middlesbrough are nursing a major
sense of grievance, know Ronaldo has played a major role in three
controversial penalty calls that have gone against them this
season.
And the 'cheat' jibes from the Boro bench at Old Trafford yesterday
night were followed by a post-match Sky TV of Ronaldo as he
collected his Man-of-the-Match award that infuriated Ferguson so
much he branded it 'a disgrace'.
The row that erupted after Ronaldo fired United into Ferguson's
eighth FA Cup semi-final as a manager was somewhat needless.
Replays clearly showed Jonathan Woodgate clipping the winger's back
leg as the pair tore into the penalty area at top speed.
But Ferguson, Ronaldo's mentor Carlos Queiroz, and the youngster's
team-mates can sense a witch hunt about to begin and have leapt to
the 22-year-old's defence both in wird and, in Queiroz's case, deed
as he exchanged angry words with members of the opposition coaching
staff immediately after the game.
"They are putting a stigma against the boy he doesn't deserve,"
stormed Ferguson.
"The interview was a disgrace. He (the interviewer) stretched it
out hoping the boy would trip himself up. I was disgusted."
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lay off the poor boy already. 
