Rio Ferdinand was taken ill during Newcastle’s 1-1 draw at Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night.
The Manchester United legend was in his usual punditry role for TNT Sports during the Champions League clash in Paris, before leaving the set midway through the broadcast.
Presenter Laura Woods gave a short statement at the time to explain Ferdinand’s sudden absence.
She said: “Rio would be here to chat about Manchester United now, but we had to let him go [due to] unforeseen circumstances.
“He is OK. Don’t worry.”
According to the Daily Mail, Ferdinand returned to his hotel early after struggling with illness during the match.
The 45-year-old confirmed he will cover Manchester United’s trip to Galatasaray for TNT Sports on Wednesday after recovering overnight.
Ferdinand appeared in a video alongside commentator Darren Fletcher in an airport ahead of a trip to Istanbul.
The former defender said: “I almost didn’t make this flight, but it’s Man United… in Istanbul… I had to be there with this man.”
talkSPORT favourite Ally McCoist stepped in to cover for Ferdinand after a controversial finale to Newcastle’s 1-1 draw against the French champions.
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Stepping down from the commentary box, McCoist was left raging by the last-minute penalty which was controversially awarded following a VAR review.
McCoist said: “It comes off his chest, then hits his left elbow. If that’s a penalty, we might as well forget about it.
“If we’re giving penalty kicks for that, it’s a disgrace. The whole night will be remembered by that decision.”
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
