Rio Ferdinand and Joleon Lescott baffled as Casemiro somehow escapes being booked vs Manchester City

Rio Ferdinand has stated his bewilderment that Real Madrid's Casemiro somehow avoided a yellow card despite two clear fouls on Manchester City players.

Contesting the Champions League semi-final second leg, the Brazilian midfielder made poor, cynical tackles on City's Kevin De Bruyne and then Phil Foden, neither of which were punished by a booking from referee Daniele Orsato.

And Ferdinand likened the challenge on Foden to being pulled back 'like a rag doll', claiming by the 'letter of the law' Casemiro should have even been sent off.

He said: This one, he drags him back like a rag doll by his shirt, I don't know how he didn't get a yellow card there.

'If you're going by the letter of the law, he's probably off the pitch. Well he is off the pitch!

'He got away with it, but he's cute, he stays down, pretends he's injured, gets away with it.'

The 30-year-old avoided a booking after a melee between the two players following the first foul, and escaped the referee's attention by pretending he was injured following the second.

And fellow pundit Joleon Lescott added: 'Yeah, he definitely should have been carded at some stage. there were two instances. I'll tell you what's helped him - the melee after the first one and then him staying down after the second one.

'He's recognised the situation in both occasions. but yes, he definitely should have received a yellow card at some point in that half.'