Former Manchester United winger Nani has revealed how a missed penalty against Fulham led to his manager Alex Ferguson giving him a distinctly sullen cold shoulder.
Five years after leaving Manchester United, Nani, the Portuguese winger who won multiple Premier League titles with the club and a Champions League winners medal in 2008, has been reflecting on a more complicated incident involving his former manager, Alex Ferguson.
Along with being his manager, Ferguson was also for a time Nani's neighbour in Manchester. For the sake of convenience the Portuguese would give the Scot a lift back from the train station on weekend's when the team had to travel to London by train.
On one such weekend where United faced an away trip to Fulham, however, this arrangement didn't end up suiting Nani all that well. After United drew 2-2 at Craven Cottage, the winger's involvement in that end result less than pleased his manager.
"He was my neighbour and we used to go to London by train,' explained Nani on Manchester United's official podcast. "His wife or his family used to leave him in the train station so on the way back he has no driver to take him so he was looking for someone who lives close to him to give him a ride.
"So I said, "okay boss, I'll take you home!" But that day, it's so funny believe me! The day I took him home was after a game against Fulham away and I was on the bench.
"I was playing unbelievable with a lot of confidence. We won a penalty and it was Ryan Giggs who took the penalties. I felt confident and Giggs didn't say anything. I took the penalty and I missed!
"In the dressing-room he killed me. He said, "Nani, who do you think you are? Who gave you permission to take the penalty?". And then he killed Ryan Giggs, because he said, "Ryan, why did you let him take the penalty?". Ryan said, "he grabbed the ball and I let him". Oh my god, that day was incredible."
Fulham goalkeeper David Stockdale (right) saves a penalty from Manchester United's Luis Nani (left)When it came to that lift home later in the day, it is safe to say that the train journey back to Manchester had not cooled Alex Ferguson off just yet.
"We are going back home that day and I say, "boss, I can take you home". I drove him back home and he didn't talk to me in the car. I felt very uncomfortable driving home."
Nevertheless, Nani, who would leave Manchester United for Fenerbahçe a few years after Ferguson's departure, recalled his relationship with the Scot fondly.
"He's a man who knows how to manage all characters, all different ages, all different personalities," he explained. "My personality in that time, I was young, and not easy. I know that and I learned a lot, I changed a lot. That is life. You must learn."
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