Angel di Maria: I never spoke badly about Manchester United but was not surprised by hostile Old Trafford
Di Maria played at Old Trafford for the first time since his 2014 move from Real Madrid failed
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Your support makes all the difference.Angel di Maria, the Paris Saint-Germain winger, expected to be given a hostile reception by Manchester United supporters on his return to Old Trafford.
Di Maria played in Manchester for the first time since his £59.7m move from Real Madrid failed four years ago and was booed from his very first touch by the home crowd.
The Argentina international responded by assisting Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappé to hand PSG a commanding 2-0 first-leg lead in their Champions League last-16 tie.
Di Maria appeared to shout obscenities into the crowd after Kimpembe’s opener and later reacted to having a bottle of beer thrown at him by pretending to drink from it.
United supporters rarely jeer and taunt former players on their return but Di Maria said that his hostile reception came as no surprise.
“It was difficult from the opening minute but I knew this was going to happen,” he told Cadena Cope after the final whistle.
“But I’ve said it in the past and I reiterate it: I never spoke badly of the people here and of this club. These are things that happen and people took it badly. I only had problems with the coach [Louis van Gaal] here.”
Reports in France on Wednesday suggested that Di Maria could be punished for his celebration of Kimpembe’s goal, which may be deemed to have contravened Article 15 of Uefa’s disciplinary regulations.
Players can be suspended if found to have either insulted “players or others present at the match” or provoked spectators. The Independent has contacted Uefa for clarification.
United are understood to be working with police to investigate the incidents of objects being thrown at Di Maria. The club is also separately investigating damage to 800 seats in Old Trafford’s away end.
PSG supporters are believed to also have ripped netting which protects disabled supporters in Old Trafford’s East Stand and their use of pyrotechnics before kick-off is likely to result in United, as the host club, receiving a Uefa fine.
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