Last Tuesday night I witnessed one of the best games I have ever seen in European Football as we were 1-0 up against Real Madrid, the 9 times winners of this illustrious competition and leading 2-1 on aggregate.

We were really in the ascendancy to push on and increase our lead to spearhead our charge of getting into the last eight of Europe’s elite club competition.

Sadly this did not last as it quickly turned into one of the worst nights of my life as a Manchester United fan because the referee decided he wanted to play centre stage and with one wrong decision he really turned the game on it’s head and the tie the other way as we eventually lost 2-1 and got knocked out in the last 16 for the first time since 2005 when AC Milan got the better of us over two legs.

I really, really could not believe what I had seen when he brandished a red card and sent Nani off for what was a yellow card offence and a Real Madrid free kick at most. Nani has gone in like that countless times to win possession of a 50/50 ball in the air and several times he has come away with the ball but this time he failed to do so and although he did as he caught Alvaro Arbeloa he shouldn’t have been sent off.

Anyone who was watching the match and saw the incident could tell you that Nani had his eyes fixed on the ball and not Arbeloa in the slightest. His intentions were to control the ball and head forward towards the Real Madrid goal, not take a player out and pick up a card. The only time when Nani could have seen Arbeloa was a split second before he made contact with him when it is was too late for him to pull out of the challenge anyway.

The referee should have used some common sense and seen it from a players point of view that a 50/50 ball was being contested and that it was a difficult one for Nani to not come into contact with Arbeloa and vice versa rather then sticking up a red card and turning the game on it’s head because there is no denying it did.

We were by far the better team until the red card and although we lost I was very proud of the team for the effort, fight and desire they put in as they had to put up with one of the best sides in Europe and a referee who had a nightmare of a match to say the least. I will take heart from the spirit of our players that night.

”Never a red card.”

Vincent Kompany

”He wants bring it down, I think no Real Madrid player expected it, nobody was claiming a red card. He didn’t see him he didn’t mean to do it, it’s not even a booking.”

Dietmar Hamann

“Manchester United was superior without even the ball, dominated without possession. Ref had a superior influence that he should.”

Guillem Balague

“Refs ruined what was a great European cup tie. Not sure what he seen to make that a straight red?”

Joey Barton

”The best team lost tonight.”

Jose Mourinho

Above are comments from people in the footballing world from current to past players, managers and journalists and they all agree that we were the better team on the night and that Nani should never have been sent off. The comment I like the most is Jose’s. I really respect him for his honesty there because he is sometimes very arrogant but in this situation he was honest and I hold no hate towards him.

It was a disappointing European night at Old Trafford and not because our ex superstar Cristiano Ronaldo returned to haunt us but because of one man being the referee who had to ruin everything for us but I will take it on the chin and move on as we take the fight to Chelsea on Sunday at home in the FA Cup looking to win it for the first time since 2004.

Another reason I will turn the cheek and be positive is because of our club anthem and specific lyrics such as ”Glory Glory Man United as the reds go marching on on on.” and that is exactly what we will do!

 Thanks for reading.

By Darren Hassennally @DarrenHazza