CHRIS SMALLING refused to apologise to Lionel Messi for the challenge that left the Argentine great in a bloody mess - and instead blamed Manchester United's "intensity".
Barcelona star Messi, 31, had blood coming from his nose and eye after he was clattered by Smalling in the middle of the pitch just before the half-hour mark of the Champions League clash at Old Trafford last night.
Medics treated the footballing legend on the pitch but from that point on he struggled to have much of an impact on the game.
Smalling, though, did not take any blame and insisted it was merely part of United's attempts to keep pressure on their tika-taka opponents.
Ironically, the Manchester United man did pick up a booking - but not for his hefty challenge on Messi.
He saw yellow in the 85th minute for a seemingly innocuous jump with Luis Suarez.
Smalling said: "I think it [the Messi challenge] came when we were right on the front foot.
"We had to bring the intensity theyre not used to every week and theres a lot to play for in second leg.
"We pressed them high and made it difficult. Its a shame we couldnt get the goal. I thought we created some good chances.
"The whole team, we nullified them. I think there was only one other save for David De Gea. We knew we had to bring that intensity that theyre not used to.
Messi wasn't so comfortable after the blow. He was strong but he has quite a significant bruise.
Ernesto Valverde
"It was a good battle, my yellow card on Luis Suarez - out of all the challenges I thought it was the softest."
There were some suggestions that Messi may have broken his nose in the incident while others reported that there was some blood clotting and even an infection to the eye.