Rio Ferdinand to Miss Manchester United’s Europa League Semi-Final Coverage on TNT Sports
Former Manchester United defender and TNT Sports pundit, Rio Ferdinand, has confirmed that he will be absent from the broadcaster’s coverage of Manchester United’s Europa League semi-final with Athletic Bilbao. Ferdinand revealed that he has been hospitalised, although the exact reason for his hospitalisation was not disclosed.
According to a report by The Independent, Ferdinand was missing from TNT Sports’ coverage of Arsenal’s Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night. The former United defender took to social media to confirm that he would be unable to attend Manchester United’s second leg against Athletic Bilbao at Old Trafford on Thursday night.
In a post on social media, Ferdinand stated, “Gutted to be missing the semi-finals this week on [TNT Sport]. Wishing the team all the best — I’ll be watching every minute from the iPad.” A picture of Ferdinand in a hospital bed accompanied his post. The official TNT Sports account responded with a get-well message, saying “Get well soon, Rio.”
According to reports from the PA news agency, Ferdinand was hospitalised due to a sickness bug that also affected other members of his family. The news will come as a disappointment to fans of Manchester United, who were looking forward to hearing Ferdinand’s punditry ahead of the semi-final.
Ferdinand’s commentary of Manchester United’s dramatic victory against Lyon in the Europa League quarter-finals went viral, as his former team staged a comeback in extra time. The broadcaster’s coverage of the match was widely praised, with many fans taking to social media to express their admiration for Ferdinand’s analysis.
Manchester United will take a 3-0 lead into their semi-final second leg against Athletic Bilbao, as they look to reach the Europa League final and set up a potential meeting with Tottenham on May 21 in the Basque Country. Despite Ferdinand’s absence, TNT Sports will still provide comprehensive coverage of the match.
As reported by The Independent, Ferdinand’s hospitalisation has forced him to miss a significant event in the football calendar. The news has sparked an outpouring of support for the former defender, with fans and colleagues alike wishing him a speedy recovery. As quoted in The Independent, Ferdinand’s post on social media expressed his disappointment at missing the semi-finals, but his commitment to watching the match from his iPad.
The Independent understands that Ferdinand is currently recovering in hospital, and his availability for future TNT Sports coverage is uncertain. Fans will be keeping a close eye on his progress, hoping that he will be back on the airwaves soon.
In related news, Manchester United’s manager, Erik ten Hag, has expressed his confidence in his team’s ability to progress to the Europa League final. As reported by The Independent, ten Hag praised his team’s performance in the quarter-finals, saying that they had shown “great spirit” in their comeback against Lyon.
As the semi-final approaches, Manchester United fans will be eagerly anticipating the match against Athletic Bilbao. Despite Ferdinand’s absence from the TNT Sports coverage, fans can still tune in to hear the analysis and commentary from other experts.
This news article is based on a report by The Independent, which can be found at: https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/rio-ferdinand-hospital-tnt-sports-man-united-punditry-b2747058.html.
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