Ferguson: emotions got better of Blues

THE raw emotions involved in trying to win football matches often makes people behave in a manner they regret once the battle is over, according to Alex Ferguson.

Chelsea have attracted plenty of adverse publicity for the way they reacted to their injury-time Champions League semi-final defeat to Barcelona.

The reactions of Didier Drogba and Michael Ballack have been singled out for the most intense criticism, with Drogba apparently angering owner Roman Abramovich for the way he came out of the tunnel to roar his displeasure at the performance of Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo.

While Ferguson preferred not to get involved in a debate about the actual incident, he has been at the centre of enough spats during his long career to know rational behaviour cannot always be guaranteed.

“Football creates emotions,” said the Manchester United boss, whose side were preparing to face Chelsea in the first final re-match in European Cup history until Andrés Iniesta’s goal ensured they will now take on Barcelona in Rome on May 27.

“It is an emotional game and we have seen that time and time again. After it, when you have cooled down you think ‘I am sorry I did that’. It happens.”

However, the disgraceful scenes involving Drogba, which have resulted in an apology from the Ivory Coast star, were in stark contrast to the more measured response of Darren Fletcher 24 hours earlier.

Even though the United midfielder knew he had played the ball before taking out Cesc Fabregas with his penalty box challenge, and was acutely aware the subsequent red card would rule him out of the final, he left the field with only the briefest hesitation.

Old Trafford officials yesterday wrote to UEFA pleading for the decision to be overturned on compassionate grounds, and European football’s governing body today confirmed they will decide on Fletcher’s fate at a meeting on Monday.

Ferguson, however, does not believe the appeal will be successful.

“I am not optimistic at all,” said Ferguson. “We have to do it for Darren and sometimes in these situations, you never know.

“Darren is quite a placid lad. He is not an over-emotional boy. He just accepts it. But I don’t think it will be overturned. The referee made an honest decision.”

Indeed, when Fletcher made his challenge, Ferguson’s initial reaction was that Italian referee Roberto Rosetti had made the right call.

It was only when he got the chance to view it again the United manager realised his fellow countryman had suffered an injustice.

“I honestly believed the referee made the right decision at the time. From his angle – and from mine – it looked like a penalty.

“It was only when I saw the replay that I saw that Darren had managed to get his leg round Fabregas and flick the ball away. Darren is an honest player, so honest if he had been an old stager he would probably have let him go on and score.

“But he was still determined to try and do his job and prevent a goal. In the process he gave away a penalty.”

Had it been a domestic contest, the FA would have looked at the incident again on video.

UEFA competitions offer no such redemption, with the United boss believing it is a flaw that needs looking at.

“It seems to be a weakness in UEFA,” he said.