Giggs: Ref told me to take it!

Ryan Giggs has revealed that the referee gave him permission to take the quick free-kick that sparked such controversy in Manchester United's Champions League win over Lille.

Giggs says he was amazed by the reaction of the Lille players - before adding even more spice to the second leg by quipping, "That's the French I suppose."
"The ref came over and said do you want the whistle, and I said no, I'll take a quick one," Giggs explained to the Manchester Evening News.

"So I said to Wayne, put the ball down, and that was it. I was pleased to see it go in, if it hadn't I probably would have had a few words off the boss!"
"Obviously I was pleased with the result, it was a somewhat contentious goal, but I'm obviously pleased with the points.
"But the last time I scored a goal like that, no one thought about walking off the pitch.
"I was just amazed by what was happening around us, we didn't know what was going on, but that's the French I suppose."