Nani red card: Uefa backs Champions League referee Cuneyt Cakir
• Governing body has 'no problem' with Turkish referee
• 'There are no issues for us regarding the sending off'
Uefa insists it has "no problem" with the Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir following his controversial handling of Manchester United's 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid on Tuesday and said he will remain on its list of officials to take charge of Champions League matches this season.
Cakir caused shock and outrage at Old Trafford when he showed Nani a straight red card for a waist-high challenge on Alvaro Arbeloa in the 57th minute of Tuesday's contest. United were leading 1-0 at the time but, reduced to 10 men, eventually lost 2-1 to Real and exited the Champions League on a 3-2 aggregate scoreline.
Sir Alex Ferguson was left "distraught" by the decision, while Rio Ferdinand could yet face sanction for the manner in which he sarcastically applauded Cakir after the final whistle. The 36-year-old referee has also received abuse and death threats via Twitter, with some irate United fans making great play of the fact that Cakir's official account shows him following Real Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, the official will not face any immediate action from Uefa, with the governing body unconcerned by the storm surrounding him and happy to wait for reports into his display from the referee's observer, Pierluigi Collina, and match delegate Rudolf Zavrl, both of whom were in attendance at Old Trafford.
"We have no problem with him," a Uefa spokesman said. "There are no issues for us regarding the sending off and we will wait for the official reports of the match delegate and the referee's observer, as is procedure. If they raise concerns then we will act."
Asked if Cakir was in any danger of not referring again during this season's Champions League, the spokesman added: "He remains on our list of officials."
Uefa has also confirmed that Nani will receive an automatic one-match European suspension following his red card and that United can appeal against the sanction only after the governing body's disciplinary panel has meet to discuss the issue when, it is possible, the suspension could be raised.
Cakir, meanwhile, flew back to Istanbul from Manchester on Wednesday morning and is scheduled to recommence refereeing duties in Turkey's Super Lig this weekend.
The insurance agent started officiating in his homeland's top division 12 years ago before progressing to the Uefa Cup in 2008. He made his Champions League debut in September 2010, taking charge of a group match between Rubin Kazan and Barcelona that ended 1-1 and in which both goals came via penalties.
Cakir has history with English clubs and players, having sent off Mario Balotelli during a Europa League match between Manchester City and Dynamo Kyiv in 2011, Steven Gerrard during England's World Cup qualifier with Ukraine last September and Gary Cahill during Chelsea's World Cup final defeat to Corinthians three months later.
It was also Cakir who dismissed John Terry in the early stages of Chelsea's Champions League semi-final, second-leg tie with Barcelona last season.
The Turk, who is on Fifa's long list to officiate at next year's World Cup in Brazil, has a reputation for being card happy and prior to Tuesday he had shown another 11 red cards in the past 12 months, including three in a goalless draw between Fenerbahce and Galatasaray last May.
