Richard Hughes insists Portsmouth did not set out to wind up Cristiano Ronaldo in the 1-1 draw with Man Utd.
Midfielder insists Pompey did not target Ronaldo
Richard Hughes insists Portsmouth did not set out to wind up Cristiano Ronaldo in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United.
Ronaldo was sent off in the closing stages of Wednesday's game at Fratton Park after a head-butt on Hughes.
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson felt the winger had been provoked, but Pompey midfielder Hughes, who has brushed off the severity of the incident, says that was not the case.
"I certainly didn't try to set a trap to get him sent off, as Ferguson has said," explained Hughes.
"What happened was one of those things. I've never thought of Ronaldo as a hothead. None of the players think so, otherwise he'd be getting targeted every week, which isn't the case.
Frustrated
"I do think in that particular incident he was getting wound up. He swung a leg at me before the butt.
"He looked a bit frustrated and I felt it was more of his doing to get head-to-head and not mine.
"A push and a shove led to another, and myself and Ronaldo squared up to each other.
"The last thing I thought was that either of us were going to get sent off when we went face-to-face. You often see footballers doing that.
"Whether he meant it or not, he leaned in a little bit and made contact with me. The ref was standing right there and he saw fit to issue a red.
"It wasn't a Glasgow kiss, I've received harder head-butts than that!"
