Rio Ferdinand said he will confront Jamie Carragher in person to ascertain whether his 'hostile energy' was genuine, after the former Liverpool man labelled him a 'clown' last week.
Carragher aimed a bizarre and random jibe at Ferdinand during CBS Sport's coverage of the Champions League semi-final clash between AC Milan and Inter Milan last Wednesday. Simone Inzaghi's side eventually won 2-0 but could have been out of sight had a first-half decision to award Inter a penalty not been overturned following a VAR check on an incident involving Lautaro Martinez.
Carragher labelled anyone who thought the penalty should have been given a 'clown'. But the former Liverpool defender was put on the spot when presented with the take of his former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, who claimed Martinez was unlucky to see the penalty overturned.
ALSO READ: 'Happy to call him a clown' - Jamie Carragher lays into Rio Ferdinand
"He (Gerrard) is an attacking player, isn't he?" Carragher said, trying to justify his point. "I mean he was liable, every now and again, to go down himself under a little bit of contact, always contact. I can understand where he is coming from. When players in my position, English defenders who are commentating, I am putting myself in their shoes.
"I can understand attackers wanting a penalty like you [Thierry Henry] but Stevie was an attacking player wasn't he so maybe he thought there was a little bit of contact. But as a defender we have got to try and stick together haven't we?
"I just thought some people were getting a little bit carried away." When Richards asked him to name names, Carragher responded: "Rio Ferdinand. I am happy to call him a clown."
Both Henry and Richards looked a little sheepish at the time and the former Manchester United defender has now had his say on the matter.
"Like I said before, he’s a friend of the show," Ferdinand said during his latest FIVE YouTube show. "Every time I see him it's all love man. I’m a loving guy, we hug and we shake hands and have a little laugh.
"I don't understand why he came in with hostility, it's a hostile energy and I don’t understand it. He’s been on our show, we see each other and it's all cool. He used to carry my boots when we were with England, he always showed me love.
"The thing that might have been, it was [Premier League] Hall of Fame week, that's the only thing I can think of because me and him are cool. We chat, sometimes text, I just don't get it man. I've only got good energy for him.
"He’s always messaging me, that's what I'm saying, it’s madness to me. He always messages me, we’ve been in England teams together, like i said he carries my boots. He’s always shown me love.
"I don’t know where that energy has come from and that's all I want him to tell me is where that energy comes from. Is it real energy or not? I need to know so when I see him I'll ask him."
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