UEFA’s Control and Disciplinary body will
meet on Monday to discuss Darren Fletcher’s Champions League
semi-final red card against Arsenal.
United have appealed to European football’s governing body to
overturn the dismissal – which rules Fletcher out of the final
against Barcelona – because television replays show that the
midfielder actually played the ball, rather than Gunners captain
Cesc Fabregas in conceding a late penalty.
Earlier on Friday, Sir Alex Ferguson had confirmed the Reds’
compassionate letter to UEFA, although he
admitted that he held out little hope of the decision being
overturned.
“I’m not optimistic at all, but we have to do it for Darren,” he
told his pre-Manchester City press conference. “It’s in fairness to
him and sometimes, when everything’s addressed, you never know. But
I don’t think it’ll be overturned.
“I honestly believe the referee made the right decision at the
time because from his angle and from where I was, I thought it was
a penalty. You see the replays and it’s obvious that Darren has
managed to get his leg round and flick the ball away from Fabregas,
which was incredible.”
Sir Alex feels Fletcher was perhaps the victim of his own
diligence at the Emirates Stadium, but is proud of the way the
25-year-old handled the heartbreak of missing a second successive
Champions League final.
“Darren’s so honest that where an old stager might just have
said (to Fabregas): ‘Go and score,’ he still was determined enough
to try and do his job,” said the manager. “He’s not an
over-emotional boy and he accepts it. It’s disappointing for him
obviously, but he takes great credit for the way he’s handled it
all.”