BERTIE TO THE RESCUE

Last updated : 14 October 2003 By editor
By SHAUN CUSTIS

MANCHESTER CITY star Eyal Berkovic could be the crucial witness who saves Rio Ferdinand from a lengthy ban.

Israeli Berkovic, a friend from their West Ham days, met Ferdinand on the afternoon of Tuesday, September 23 — the day Rio missed a drug test.

The City midfielder will be called to give evidence about Ferdinand’s state of mind and how much effort he made to be tested after realising his mistake.
It was Berkovic who alerted Ferdinand to the fact he had a text message from Manchester United. And it was Berkovic who then helped Rio think of ways to get the situation sorted out.