Rio Ferdinand slams ex-Man United teammate for allowing Ronaldo score hat-trick

Former Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand has slammed ex-teammate Fabien Barthez for allowing Ronaldo Nazario to score a hat-trick against him at Old Trafford during a Champions League game.

Ferdinand believes that two of Ronaldo’s three goals were easily stoppable if goalkeeper Barthez was in the proper position.

On April 23, 2003, Ronaldo fired Real Madrid into the Champions League semi-finals with a sublime hat-trick against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Real Madrid had beaten Manchester United 3-1 in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

David Beckham scored a brace later in the game at Old Trafford to seal a dramatic 4-3 win for Manchester United, but the game ended 5-6 on aggregate in favour of Real Madrid.

Ferdinand, who was re-watching the match in a video shared by BT Sport, questioned Barthez, saying, “It’s not a great goal. It ain’t. I don’t care. He knows what he’s against, he knows he’s got to take it early, and he does.

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“Barthez, he can only go in the near post. I’ve got him where I want him, going away from goal. He can only go near post… Fabien? Fabien, man! We need to go back over this.”

Ferdinand went on to blame himself for the second, admitting he failed to track down the former FIFA Best Player, but further called out Barthez for the third one.

“My fault, man. I take that. It was me. I take that. We’re dropping off. I’ve got to get up. I’ve got to squeeze the play a bit. But… Fabien, what are you doing?! I’m not having it. Fabien’s on his six-yard box, by the way. He’s been lobbed,” he said.