Former Real Madrid midfielder Michael Laudrup thinks Nani's sending off was a "poor decision". "I am not a supporter of Manchester United or Real Madrid, but it should never, ever have been a red card," he added.

"I don't think it matters whether it's a referee in the Premier League, La Liga or a Champions League game," Laudrup claimed.

"It was just a bad decision. Referees are human and make mistakes. There is no problem with that and sometimes it goes against you," the Swansea coach maintained.

"But we are allowed to say when a referee gives a poor performance, and that was a very poor decision," Laudrup concluded.

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Barcelona captain Xavi Hernandez has added his voice to the condemnation of Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir’s sending off of Nani against Real Madrid.

The Spain international told Mundo Deportivo: 'Nani is going for the ball so I think it was very harsh. It changes the game; a red card should be for something much worse. There is so little between the big teams in Europe that a sending off makes so much difference.

'I always say with these incidents that you have to look at the intention of the player. Nani is looking at the ball and not at the defender. For me it is very harsh.'