Eric went crazy, he wanted to sort out the rogue cop
He flared up but it was worth putting up with
ERIC CANTONA’S ban for a kung-fu kick at a fan was not his first rumble in a Manchester United shirt. Here, in the second extract from a new book about King Eric’s reign in English football, we revisit the 1993 tunnel bust-up after their second-round Champions League exit in Istanbul…
THERE was a terrible atmosphere as soon as the team stepped off the plane in Istanbul.
And when the time came for Manchester United to reproduce their impressive domestic form in Europe, they were unable to flick the switch.
After a wasteful 3-3 draw in the first leg at Old Trafford, and with Galatasaray players keen to throw themselves to the ground, Eric Cantona grew frustrated.
To everyone’s bewilderment, referee Karl Rothlisberger blew right on 90 minutes with the score 0-0 and Cantona, incensed, went to remonstrate with the official.
Despite the game being over, Rothlisberger pulled out a red card and pointed it in Cantona’s direction. In the tunnel, there was a huge altercation with Cantona and Bryan Robson in the middle of it.
In a scuffle with police, both players were hurt.
“At the end of one tunnel was the sanctuary of our dressing room but, before we could reach it, I saw a policeman punch Eric in the back of the head,” said United defender Steve Bruce. Midfielder Roy Keane recalled: “In the dressing room, Eric went crazy. He was determined to go back outside to sort out the rogue cop who’d been wielding his truncheon.
“Eric was a big, strong lad. He was serious. He insisted he was going to kill ‘that f **** r’.
“It took the combined efforts of the manager, [assistant] Brian Kidd and a few of the players to restrain him. Normally, I wouldn’t have backed off a fight but I wasn’t up for this one.
“There were a lot of Turks out there.”
Manager Alex Ferguson could barely believe it.
“Eric complained about no time being added on,” he said.
“There was hardly a minute extra.Then a policeman punched Cantona.We have filmed evidence of that.”
It was the first time United had seen Cantona’s volcanic side.
Chairman Martin Edwards recalled: “We knew he flared up at times but his value to the team meant it was worth putting up with.”
●Adapted by MIKEWALTERS from King Eric: Portrait of the Artist Who Changed English Football, by Wayne Barton, published by Reach Sport and on sale from Amazon in ebook or hardback.