Champions League game interrupted by bizarre tennis ball protest
Updated . First published
Manchester United’s clash with Roma was briefly disrupted on Wednesday (AEDT) as angry fans hurled tennis balls onto the pitch at Old Trafford.
The protest had been pre-planned after 21 minutes to mark 21 years of the Glazers family’s ownership of the famed club.
Tennis balls are cleared from the pitch. X
But supporters at the Stretford End decided to go early in venting their frustrations after Donyell Malen’s 17th-minute penalty gave Roma a 2-0 lead in the Champions League clash.
There was a small delay as United players Matheus Cunha and Diogo Dalot were among those to clear the balls from the playing surface.
United are languishing in 17th place in the Premier League.
The protest was nothing like as disruptive as a similar demonstration by Celtic fans last year when trying to bring about a change in their club’s hierarchy.
United supporters have long-tried to force regime change at their club with numerous protests against American owners the Glazers.
Minority owner British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe has also come in for criticism in the face of the club's on-field problems and increased ticket prices.
Ratcliffe, the owner of petrochemical giant INEOS, assumed control of the football operations after buying an initial 25 per cent stake for $1.87 billion in 2024.
Since then, the 20-time English champion has fired two managers, while Michael Carrick’s position is under intense scrutiny after a troubled start to the season.
The Glazers have been unpopular among fans since their leveraged buyout of the club in 2005.
United went into the game on a nine-game winless run and were quickly behind against Roma when Matias Soule struck after 11 minutes.
United captain Bruno Fernandes then cancelled out Malen’s penalty with a successful spot kick of his own in the second half.
Fernandes had his first attempt saved by Devis Vásquez, but VAR confirmed that Roma’s goalkeeper had come off his line early.
Cunha then completely swung the gloomy mood at Old Trafford by scoring two second half goals within three minutes to give United a dramatic 3-2 lead after 86 minutes.
The Brazilian star then got himself sent off in the first minute of added time, but United were able to hold on with 10 men to put a much-needed smile on Carrick’s face.
“I’m not getting too carried away with things,” Carrick said.
“I think it’s an important night. I think it’s important for some of the players to have the feeling that they maybe haven’t had here before.”
Fernandes had previously been dropped by Carrick after publicly criticising his tactics.
“It’s been tough, there’s been a lot of speculation in the media,” Fernandes said.
“A lot of lies around many things that have happened between me and the manager, that we have cleared the air, then after that the manager took the decision to put me on the bench because I’m not performing.
"Everyone thought that was a punishment for the words that I had. If it was, it was right. The manager is the one who makes the decisions.
“It doesn’t change the belief I have of the manager and the staff and every player in this club. And it doesn’t change my aim to win every f---ing game that I have ahead of me. Hopefully, this win today gives the start of something good for us.”
Elsewhere, Barcelona breezed past Aston Villa 3-0 while two-time defending champions Paris Saint-Germain battered Villarreal 6-0. - with Reuters
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