Manchester United veteran Ryan Giggs was surprised by the two-match suspension handed to team-mate Wayne Rooney.
Rooney will miss Saturday’s Premier League clash with Fulham and the FA Cup semi-final showdown with Manchester City after being found guilty of “using offensive, insulting and/or abusive language”.
The 25-year-old forward, who swore into a television camera while celebrating his third goal in last weekend’s 4-2 victory at West Ham, unsuccessfully challenged the length of the ban despite accepting the FA charge.
And Giggs said: “I'm not surprised by the furore surrounding it because of the profile Wayne has got.
“But a two-game ban? I'm surprised by that. It had just never been done before (a player being charged for swearing).
“There was no precedent and that's why we were bamboozled by it.”
He added: “Obviously it is a blow. You want your big players flying at this point of the season because it is big game after big game.
“You want your special players scoring and Wayne is in good goalscoring form. He is a special player.”
And Rooney, himself, yesterday admitted his disappointment at being ruled out of the semi-final meeting with City.
He said in a statement: “I am gutted to miss two matches, one of which is an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
“I am not the first player to have sworn on TV and I won't be the last.
“Unlike others who have been caught swearing on camera, I apologised immediately. And yet I am the only person banned for swearing. That doesn't seem right.
“Whatever, I have to accept that what's happened has happened and move on from here. That is what I intend to do.”