Darren Fletcher

[HillyHugger]

As a Liverpool fan can't say I'm particularly happy about United qualifying for the final but it's sad about Fletcher missing it . He's one of there less annoying players . They are now saying that if the ref admits in his report that he made a mistake then the red card might be rescinded .

[zombie1000]

Absolute tragedy, HillyHugger. UEFA bang on about Fair Play, but the red card cannot be rescinded unless it was a case of mistaken identity. Apparently they can increase and impose suspensions but cannot repeal anything. Not a great advertisement for kids, eh?

[Gromit]

After the match SAF seemed resigned that the card could not be rescinded, and that was the rules.

However, it does seem a grave injustice that Fletcher will miss the biggest match of his life because an official got it disastrously wrong. It is also unfair that whoever United play should be handed an advantage, when the tackle was very good and fair.

It has been pointed out that if a player had thrown a punch last night, and the referee had missed it, then retrospective action against that player, including a ban on that player could be taken.

I cannot see anyone thinking this mistake should be allowed to stand "for the good of the game" when everyone, including the referee by now, knows that an honest man has been condemned.

As every Champions League match is televised, surely an amendent to the rules of the competition to allow video evidence to overrule the referee in incidence such as this, on appeal.

If United do contest the decision, they will probably fail because they knew the rules of the competition before they entered it.

Not a good day for football though.

[Gromit]

Uefa can rescind the red card if requested to do so by Italian referee Rosetti, although such instances are very rare, according to BBC sports news correspondent James Pearce.
He said: "Uefa will receive the referee's report on Wednesday. In theory, he can say in the report that he made a mistake and Fletcher should not have been sent off.
"Normally that would only happen with a case of mistaken identity but Uefa says he would be able to admit the error, so Fletcher will only know for definite if he is suspended from the final when the referee submits his match report."
Arsenal manager Arsenal Wenger also insisted the red card was "very harsh" after television pictures clearly showed Fletcher played the ball cleanly.

It was interesting after the match in the interview on ITV, SAF praised the referee saying he is one of the best in Europe. Normally, you'd expect a manager to go ballistic at such an error.

[Ric.ror]

If I was Fletcher I would not worry to much - he will probably get a winners medal next season

[DrFilth]

he had more things on his mind last night than fletcher

http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/47406,news,alex- ferguson-grandson-serious-after-car-crash


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[jackthehat]

It wasn't an error.
Although Fletcher did manage to get his foot on the ball, in doing so he could not help but bring his opponent down.........thereby depriving Fabregas of any additional goal-scoring opportunity.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/arti cle-1177749/GRAHAM-POLL-Forget-final-emotion-r eferee-Rosetti-spot-red-Man-United-star-Fletch er.html

[mark01]

It was an error and in my opinion will be rescinded

[HillyHugger]

Afraid not :

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_5 288096,00.html

if I was a United fan I'd be a lttle bit annoyed

[HillyHugger]

Just found this

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/arti cle-1177749/GRAHAM-POLL-Forget-final-emotion-r eferee-Rosetti-spot-red-Man-United-star-Fletch er.html

"Even though Fletcher got a slight touch on the ball, Rosetti felt it was impossible for the Manchester United midfielder to avoid taking his opponent in the follow-through. Therefore, he had no option but to dismiss the Scot."

How in God's name are you supposed to tackle anyone . If you applied that you'd have no one left on the field !

[Gromit]

HillyHugger

Thay was jacks link.

Just Graham Poll reminding us he was the worst Referee (still is) in the world.

[No,Knowledge]

just get over it . Whole football teams have missed world cup semi-finals and finals because of bad refereeing decisions.

Man u get a better deal from refs than most ........FACT!

[HillyHugger]

Oops!

It's been a weird morning . I'm supporting Man United players & posting Daily Mail links ,

I think I need a lie down ...

[paraffin]

Didn't that Man U "Leg end" Keano miss the '99 CL Final for a similar reason?

[mariner2]

jackthehat, you don't know the rules - if you play the ball first it doesn't matter what happens afterwards - witness every goalkeeper who goes in at the feet of a forward, he gets the ball first and ALWAYS then hits the player, no foul. if he doesn't play the ball, it's a foul.
It was perfectly understandable for the ref to think that Fletcher had fouled Fabregas, but after he'd seen the video, he should have been man enough to admit he'd made a mistake.

[mariner2]

Further to my previous post, it seems that the rules have now changed and any contact whatsover before or after the ball is played is a foul and indeed worthy of the death sentence.