Former Manchester United captain Rio Ferdinand has said that he understands Cristiano Ronaldo's decision to refuse to play against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night.
Ronaldo was seen heading down the tunnel before the final whistle had been blown against Spurs, and it later emerged that he had refused to feature as a late substitute.
The 37-year-old has been suspended for Saturday's trip to Chelsea, and it has also been reported that he is facing a fine of £1m due to his conduct.
Ronaldo released a statement on Thursday evening, insisting that certain things happen "in the heat of the moment".
As it stands, the Portugal international will be back in training with the 20-time English champions on Monday to prepare for Thursday's Europa League contest with Sheriff Tiraspol.
© Reuters
Ferdinand, who played alongside Ronaldo during the forward's first spell at Old Trafford, has defended his former teammate amid the recent criticism.
"I wouldn't have been happy, in Ronaldo's statement he mentioned how he would've handled things differently," Ferdinand said on BT Sport. "Emotions can sometimes take it out of your control as you're human.
"I'd have been in the queue to speak to him, asking why he did it and asking the question. There's two ways to look at it, and I don't condone it for one minute, but there's always another side to the story.
"I don't think the communication has been as good as he wanted it to be. People say 'you're a player in the team' but when you're dealing with a player like Cristiano Ronaldo, like it or not, he's Cristiano Ronaldo he's one of the greatest footballers ever along with [Lionel] Messi. Sometimes they're afforded a way of treatment a little bit different to everyone else.
"It was the same under Fergie (Sir Alex Ferguson) – we had that communication [as to] how the minutes are going to look and I think for the first time in his life that's not upheld by the manager or the club. He's in a position where he doesn't know where he's at.
© Reuters
"I'm not saying he was right in that decision – and his decision says that as well – but at the same time, you can say for every other player it's you're one of the team but there are sometimes special players that things work differently for.
"Not only is he an iconic player, I think it's important for the team to see he's communicating and that he's fresh in his mind and ready to play. He's 37 years old, he probably needs that more than ever so he can perform to the best of his ability."
Ronaldo had been in the starting XI against Omonia and Newcastle United in the team's previous two games before dropping to the bench against Tottenham.
In 12 appearances for the Red Devils this season, he has only found the back of the net on two occasions, with his sole Premier League strike coming at Everton on October 9.
Man United are reportedly prepared to let Ronaldo leave on a free transfer in January, but there is not currently an obvious suitor for the Portuguese.
Matt Law
