Maguire and Castro involved in bizarre flashpoint during Manchester United comeback

Harry Maguire has been accused of grabbing Roma forward Santiago Castro in a sensitive area during Manchester United’s Champions League meeting with the Italian side.

Manchester United recovered from a disastrous start at Old Trafford to come from 2-0 down and win 3-2, scoring all three of their goals in the second half.

The match also featured an unusual confrontation between Maguire, 33, and Castro, 22, as tensions rose during the contest.

According to The Sun, the incident began when the Manchester United defender made a forceful challenge to win the ball. Maguire appeared to launch himself towards the ball and the legs of his opponent as he attempted to stop the Roma forward.

Castro reacted angrily and moved towards the England international. Footage appeared to show him placing both hands around Maguire’s neck.

Maguire then responded immediately. The Manchester United player appeared to grab the Argentina international from below before pulling him to the ground.

Images of the confrontation were subsequently circulated, although they did not provide a conclusive view of exactly what happened.

Roma supporters expressed strong anger on social media and criticised the referee for not sending Maguire off. Some claimed that the defender had grabbed Castro’s “genitals” before bringing him down.

There was no immediate indication in the report that Maguire had been punished for the incident, while Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini did not address the confrontation after the match.

Roma’s next listed fixture is against Sassuolo in Serie A on 07 November 2026. Manchester United are scheduled to face Aston Villa in the Premier League on 08 November 2026.