ALEX FERGUSON has been branded a sore loser after Manchester United's bitter Champions League exit.
Furious
Fergie claimed his side's quarter-final defeat was down to 'typical
Germans' getting Rafael sent off for two yellow cards.
But Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has angrily hit
back, saying: "We lost in 1999 like gentlemen. Now United should do the
same."
Ferguson claimed full-back Rafael only
received a second yellow card for pulling back Franck Ribery because
Bayern players surrounded Italian ref Nicola Rizzoli.
He also accused the Germans of targeting Wayne Rooney's
bad ankle and insisted United would have won comfortably with 11
players.
Hoeness said: "It's an over reaction on
his part maybe because he was disappointed to lose.
"Normally he is a fine gentleman
but I think what he has said is not right.
"We
were honest and cool in Barcelona and they should be the same."
United blew a 3-0 lead and won the game 3-2 to go out on
away goals.
Bayern's victory was revenge for the
1999 Champions League final when United scored twice in injury- time for
a 2-1 win.
The German side's former Chelsea
winger Arjen Robben scored the spectacular volley which ultimately
knocked United out.
Robben said: "I can understand
the reaction from Ferguson but he is wrong.
"We
did not put pressure on the ref to send off the player, it was just the
right decision by him.
"I think more United
players should have been booked.
"In football you
don't always get what you deserve but in this game we showed enormous
resilience.
"It's not easy to come back from 3-0
down against United but over 180 minutes we deserved the result."
Sir Alex Ferguson lost his dignity after we beat United in Champions League slams Bayern chief Uli Hoeness
Hoeness said: ‘We lost in 1999 but we lost like gentlemen. Now it would be nice if Manchester could do the same. It’s an over-reaction on Ferguson’s part, maybe because he is disappointed to lose.'What he has said is not right. We were honest and cool in Barcelona and they should be the same.’
Ferguson got over his disappointment by visiting Aintree yesterday. His horse What a Friend won the day’s big race.
But the fallout from Wednesday continued as the scorer of the decisive goal, Arjen Robben, said United got off lightly.
Robben, whom Fergie once tried to sign, said: ‘If anything there was a case for more yellow cards for United.’
United are trying to get Wayne Rooney fit for Sunday’s Barclays Premier League game at Blackburn, but the 24-year-old faces an uphill battle after a recurrence of his
ankle injury against Bayern.
Rooney received treatment at United’s Carrington training centre yesterday and although he is not on crutches or wearing elaborate protection, he is unlikely to start
at Ewood Park.
'No dignity': Manchester United boss Sir Alex
Ferguson has been slammed by Bayern Munich for his reaction to Champions
League defeat
Fletcher said: ‘I think it was inevitable. People do different things to win a game. He was targeted a little bit. There were a few tackles from behind but you expect that. ‘It’s not war but it’s like that. Teams do what they can to win.’
quarter-final defeat on away
goals on Wednesday night.