Ferguson grateful for UEFA reprieve

Sir Alex Ferguson can plan for the final exchanges in the Premiership title campaign safe in the knowledge that when Manchester United go hunting for European glory next season he will be directing operations from the touchline rather than the stands.

The United manager had been extremely concerned that his remarks suggesting the Champions League draw had been fixed would land him a touchline ban from UEFA, but he escaped with a £4,500 fine (€6,600) yesterday after making a humble apology.

Ferguson – who was conscious he had been fined four years ago for other comments – submitted a 10-page document to UEFA’s control and disciplinary panel apologising and pointing out he has publicly withdrawn the remarks.

UEFA communications director Mike Lee said: “UEFA’s control and disciplinary body decided to impose a 10,000 Swiss franc fine (€6,600) on Sir Alex Ferguson for improper comments to the media. The body took into account the fact that Sir Alex had already been fined previously by UEFA.”

The fine was imposed by a UEFA disciplinary hearing at their Nyon headquarters here in Switzerland, and Ferguson – whose mitigation included an accompanying letter from United lawyer Maurice Watkins – is almost certain not to appeal.

The man who made the draw, Austrian FA president Friedrich Stickler, who is also chairman of the competitions committee for European football’s governing body, has already said he will not take legal action over the remarks.

Stickler said: “The whole draw is open and fair and that makes his words even more ridiculous and unprofessional but the matter should not be prolonged.”

Ferguson’s written explanation also insisted his remarks had been blown out of proportion. The former Aberdeen manager made his comments before the first leg of United’s quarter-final against Real Madrid.

He inferred some people in the game were determined to stop United reaching next month’s final at their own Old Trafford ground and had given them the toughest possible draw in the last eight.

The United manager also queried the fact that none of the three Spanish teams faced a club from the same country, nor any of the three Italian teams.

He said: “Real Madrid – they have a nice draw, they must have picked it themselves. The Spanish or Italian teams don’t play each other, how do you think they work that out? They don’t want us in the final, that’s for sure, but I’m not listening.”

Two days later he conceded he was wrong, saying: “I have been assured by UEFA that the draw was fair. I take their word for it, so I was wrong to say what I did.”

The previous fine, of £2,000 (€2,800, was for remarks made ahead of United’s games with Inter Milan. Before the first leg, with Inter saying Ronaldo was injured for the match, Ferguson said: “When the Italians tell you it’s pasta on the plate I even check under the sauce to make sure it really is.”

Before the second leg at San Siro he said the Italians’ tactics would include “scheming, diving, referee baiting – the full repertoire”.