Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has hit out at suggestions that he dived to get Bastian Schweinsteiger sent off during his side’s Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Bayern Munich.
Schweinsteiger was shown a second yellow card after sliding in on Rooney towards the end of Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, ruling the Germany midfielder out of next week’s second leg in Munich.
Schweinsteiger exchanged angry words with Rooney after the incident, while Bayern coach Pep Guardiola appeared to make a ‘dive’ gesture, but the England striker insisted that he had been fouled.
‘I don’t really want to say what he (Schweinsteiger) said, but I thought it was a foul,’ Rooney said, in comments reported by several British newspapers on Thursday.
‘If I didn’t get out of the way, he could have hurt me. He’s gone in with his studs and the referee has booked him, so it’s not my decision.
‘It’s not nice to see anyone get sent off. I didn’t try and get him sent off -- the referee has made the decision. I have tried to stop myself from getting hurt and the referee has had a decision to make.
‘He’s a great player and he’s obviously someone they will miss -- and (Javi) Martinez as well being suspended -- but they have a great squad of players who can come in.’
United took a 58th-minute lead against the defending champions through captain Nemanja Vidic, before Schweinsteiger equalised nine minutes later.