Cruyff slams Cakir after Nani dismissal

The Netherlands legend has had his say on the referee who sent off the Portuguese in last week's Champions League encounter at Old Trafford

Johan Cruyff has hit out at referee Cuneyt Cakir following his decision to dismiss Nani in Manchester United's 2-1 Champions League loss to Real Madrid last week.

The Turkish official's decision has been heavily criticised and Cruyff feels Uefa was wrong to award the second leg of the round of 16 tie to Cakir.

"There's a lot of talk about respect for each other, but that's not really working out, is it? Just look at the decision to appoint this Turkish guy as the referee for the game between Manchester United and Real Madrid. His mother is probably the only one who knows who he is," Cruyff writes in his weekly column for De Telegraaf.

"That immediately makes me wonder who in his right mind made the decision to award such a big game to this guy.

"Especially when you look at the position both clubs find themselves in. You know that Real Madrid will not give anything away and can go pretty far.

"A referee should feel these kinds of things. This was not exactly the case with our Turkish friend."

United were unable to defend their 1-0 lead after Nani's dismissal and eventually lost the game 2-1, having drawn 1-1 in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.