Ref ‘follows’ Real on Twitter

 

Cakir, who sent off Manchester United winger Nani in a controversial game-changing moment in a Champions League tie at Old Trafford on Tuesday night, is a member of the Real Madrid Twitter community.

He is also a member of the Ronaldo Twitter family.
There were claims that the account is not genuine but then that, just like his harsh decision to expel Nani, is also debatable.

It might not mean much but, following the controversy at Old Trafford on Tuesday night, it will give weapons to those who believe Cakir was on a mission to either help Real Madrid or destroy Manchester United.

It was the third Manchester United match that Cakir has handled and the Red Devils are yet to win one.

Fresh from his horror night at Old Trafford, Cakir gathered with his assistants in the lobby of Manchester airport’s Radisson Blu hotel at 9.30am on Wednesday ahead of his flight back to Istanbul.

Certainly he didn’t appear to be suffering any after effects from his controversial experience the night before despite receiving abuse and death threats via Twitter.

One fan tweeted: ‘Hope Cuneyt Cakir f******* dies in a plane crash on way home.’ Another said: ‘When referees in future have a bad game, they will say he is having a “Cakir game”.’

Cakir, who at 37 is younger than Ryan Giggs, broke new ground for Turkish officials by taking charge of the Euro 2012 semi-final between Spain and Portugal.

Despite the outcry Cakir joined in what appeared to be some light-hearted exchanges before the group were escorted towards Terminal One for their flight home.

Now it can be revealed just how fond the Insurance agent is of waving cards around after it emerged the 36-year-old has not refereed a single game without booking someone all year.

He has shown an incredible 36 yellow cards and three reds in just eight club games since mid-January.
Only on Saturday, in his last domestic game before travelling to Manchester, Cakir showed six yellow cards in a game between Akhisar Beledi and Elazigspor in Turkey.

A week earlier, meanwhile, he booked five players and sent one off in Gaziantepspor’s win over Bursaspor.
Turkish journalist Fatih Ozkan confirmed that Cakir has caused controversy in his home country.

“He was one of the best in recent years but after he was assigned to European games, he lost his concentration in the Turkish leagues,” he said.

‘This season he hasn’t been assigned too many big games. The biggest he got was the Super Cup final in August between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce.

“He made a controversial decision as Fenerbahce scored a goal and Engin Baytar, the Galatasaray player, shoved him and tried to grab him.”
Baytar was handed an 11-game suspension after that but, despite not refereeing too many high-profile Turkish fixtures since, Cakir has still been in the news.

Just three days prior to the Nani decision, Cakir hogged the headlines in Turkey for a failure to award a penalty in Akhisar’s 1-0 defeat to Elazigspor.
“The obstacle was the referee,’ Akhisar’s manager, Hamza Hamzaoglu, said to reporters after the game.

‘I do not enjoy his games as a coach, and nor did the players.’
Former United full back Gary Neville meanwhile admitted the incident left Old Trafford more stunned than he has ever seen it.

He tweeted: ‘Been going to OT since age of 5 and I’ve never seen the whole ground as in disbelief as they were last night at a decision!’

‘Nani is a player who regularly tries to control a pass like this over his shoulder and its never a red card! Changed the whole game! Poor ref.

‘The crowd actually weren’t angry / weren’t shouting they were just open mouthed and in shock!’
Cakir is not an official who thinks twice about sending off English football’s biggest names.

Steven Gerrard, John Terry and Mario Balotelli have all been shown red cards in recent seasons by the insurance salesman from Istanbul, who is not a professional referee.

Gerrard was especially unhappy with his treatment by Cakir, who showed the England captain two yellow cards during a World Cup qualifier against Ukraine at Wembley last September.

“I don’t think there was a bad tackle in the game, and the referee has given seven yellow cards. It’s disappointing because it’s my first red card in 98 caps,” Gerrard said.

Terry could hardly argue with his dismissal by Cakir, even though it meant the Chelsea captain missed the Champions League final last summer. – Mailonline/Telegraph/Emailpress

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