'I only had problems with Van Gaal' - Di Maria responds to hostility from Man Utd fans

'I only had problems with Van Gaal' - Di Maria responds to hostility from Man Utd fans image

Angel Di Maria says he has no problem with Manchester United despite his hostile Old Trafford reception.

The Paris St-Germain forward was jeered by supporters of his former club as he played a big part in Tuesday's 2-0 Champions League victory over Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men with two assists on his old stomping ground.

United face sanction from UEFA after beer bottles were thrown towards the Argentinian during the first leg of the last-16 tie.

He picked one up and pretended to drink from it to goad the home support - and appeared to roar an insult back at the stands after PSG scored their first goal.

But the 31-year-old says he bears no ill will towards fans following an ill-fated spell with United that ended with a £44 million ($56m) move to Paris in 2015 after just 27 games for the club.

The former Real Madrid man insists his only issue was with then Old Trafford boss Louis van Gaal, telling Cadena Cope radio : "[The reception] was difficult from the opening minute but I knew this was going to happen.

"But I've said it in the past and I reiterate it, I never spoke badly of the people here and of this club.

"These are things that happen and people took it badly. I only had problems with the coach here."

PSG boss Thomas Tuchel praised Di Maria for his performance on his first return to Old Trafford.

"I thought he had a good relationship with the fans. He was a bit nervous and needed to be calmer in the first-half. In the end, he did well," he said.

"I'm happy that he stayed confident. I'm happy that he stayed always like this, super-reliable because he's always working hard."

After winning the Champions League with Real Madrid, Di Maria joined United in 2014 for a British record £59.7m ($77m), but left for PSG a year later, going down as one of the club's worst flops of the modern era.

United travel to Paris for the second leg of the tie on March 6.