Former Manchester United star Nani reveals players turned up DRUNK for training

Manchester United would turn a blind eye to players attending training drunk as part of ‘a moment of relaxation’ over the New Year period, former star Nani has claimed. 

The four-time Premier League winner has revealed members of the squad were allowed to train while worse for wear after festive nights out and praised ex-boss Sir Alex Ferguson’s man-management during United’s ‘non-stop’ schedule.

Reflecting on the star-studded squad’s sessions, Nani told Tribuna Expresso he enjoyed ‘nights out at the right time’ and ‘never got in trouble’, adding: ‘If I had the next day off, for example, then I could have some fun…on special days like Christmas or New Year – no one in England cares about that.

Ex-Man United star Nani says players were occasionally excused being short of peak condition

 The Portuguese winger claims stars could turn up to sessions drunk over the new year period

Nani (far left) attended the 2011 Christmas night out in Manchester with fellow squad members

The Portuguese partied in the city with United after lifting the 2012-13 Premier League trophy

Rare nights on the town did little to halt United’s spate of successes under Sir Alex Ferguson

 Nani was united with fellow Portugal regulars Anderson and Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford

‘On New Year, we could even go to training drunk and the coach didn’t care about it. That’s the side of [Sir Alex] that knew how to deal with the players and have the perception to say, “this day is special, I can’t make demands”.

‘We had been playing non-stop all year long. It was a joy, a moment of relaxation, a different kind of training – clowning around. I won’t lie, I liked nights out.’

Nani joined a glittering United squad when he signed from Sporting Lisbon alongside compatriat Anderson for £35million in 2007.

The winger briefly lived with team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo after moving to England and tested himself in training against the likes of Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs.

He scored one of United’s spot-kicks in their penalty shootout win over Chelsea in the 2008 Champions League final in his first season at the club, when he also won the Premier League for the first time.

Speaking about Ferguson’s approach, Nani recalled: ‘It was amazing.

‘He knows how to deal with the player, whether they are older or younger. He knows how to manage their professional career and the human being.

‘With him I can say that I gained a unique experience and maturity because they were very important phases of my life.

Nani was 21 when United tasted Champions League glory during his first season at Old Trafford

United legend Sir Alex was a fatherly figure to the young midfielder and helped him to grow up

He joined the likes of Wayne Rooney,…