Champions League - Fletcher joins unlucky club

Eurosport - Wed, 06 May 14:54:00 2009

Darren Fletcher was left in tears after the harsh red card that ruled him out of the Champions League final.

1998 World Cup France Laurent Blanc is sent off - 0

The Manchester United man was sent off for a clean tackle on Cesc Fabregas when referee Roberto Rosetti mistakenly thought he fouled the Arsenal captain.

As UEFA allow no appeals except in cases of mistaken identity, the Scotsman it set to miss the final in Rome.

However, Fletcher is in good company, joining an illustrious list of players who have missed major finals through suspension.

Paul Scholes rushed to the dressing-room to console Fletcher on Tuesday as he knows his United team-mate's pain all too well.

In 1999, Scholes and Roy Keane both picked up yellow cards against Juventus that saw them miss out on the remarkable 2-1 win against Bayern Munich.

Three days earlier, Denis Irwin was on the sidelines as United completed the second part of their treble with victory over Newcastle in the FA Cup final.

Back in 1983, United were the beneficiaries as Brighton captain Steve Foster was banned for the FA Cup final, which finished 2-2. Foster returned for the replay but Brighton went down 4-0.

Arsenal have had their share of disciplinary misery, with Ian Wright missing the 1994 Cup-Winners' Cup final triumph against Parma, and Sol Campbell sitting out the 2003 FA Cup final with suspensions.

In the same year, Pavel Nedved's efforts dragging Juventus to the Champions League final would earn him the Ballon d'Or, but a soft booking rendered him a spectator as Juve lost to Milan on penalties.

On the international stage, there has been no shortage of high-profile heartache.

The 1990 World Cup final was a poorer affair without the lavishly-skilled Argentina forward Claudio Caniggia. West Germany won a dismal match 1-0 with a late penalty.

A cynical piece of play acting by Slaven Bilic got Laurent Blanc sent off in France's 1998 World Cup semi-final win against Croatia, meaning Blanc was on the sidelines as Les Bleus won football's biggest prize.

Four years later Germany talisman Michael Ballack collected a fateful yellow card in the semi-final against Korea but went on to grab the winning goal. The Germans lost the final 2-0 to Brazil without him.

Alex Chick / Eurosport

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  1. Graham P yes i am a Liverpool fan i read the United­ pages because they are the headline stories!

    From Frosty, on Wed 6 May 12:52PM

  2. point 22 Tom LFC, does it matter if you don't play­ your best in every game aslong as you win? 3 points is­ 3 points, it doesn't mater how you get them, and at­ the end of the season the League Table doesn't lie­ Tom.

    From Gary S, on Wed 6 May 12:50PM

  3. my mistake. my last post was about post 22. not 23.

    From michael f, on Wed 6 May 12:48PM

  4. 23.
    Winning 1-0 when you are playing badly is how you­ become champions... oh now i see why you didn't­ realise that, you've never done it!!!!!
    and how­ many times have liverpool scorer late/lucky winners­ this season? honestly its one rule for liverpool and­ another for everyone else.
    what's your view on the­ red card? as a liverpool fan you should be an expert,­ seeing as so many of your opponents have been sent off­ this year....

    From michael f, on Wed 6 May 12:48PM

  5. Scarlet, are you sure you are female? You look like a­ man to me, but nevermind that...United for the title!!!

    From Howard Webb, on Wed 6 May 12:47PM

  6. He was making a tongue in cheek remark. Bit of banter.­ He has a point though your remark in box 9 wasn't­ exactly full of knowledge or inteligence. Typical­ nonsense from another United supporter who has never­ probably kicked a ball! As players United are strong,­ Rooney is their best and most consistant performer,­ Ronaldo has talent and is so quick and strong (which­ means he maybe shouldn't do down as often!) Vidic­ and Ferdinand have established a fantastic partnership­ at the back and Ferguson may have signed two brothers­ with the potential to be world class... Yet rather than­ talk about these issues you would rather gloat about­ the fact that Rafa is overweight!!! Typical ignorance­ and thats why you will never get 70,000 people at a­ football match to be so quiet, as most of them­ haven't a clue! Even one of your all time greats­ pointed that out. Prawn sandwiches anyone?

    From Jack M, on Wed 6 May 12:47PM
  7. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Don't sweat it Mr Fletcher, you can watch the final­ with me in Manchester United's dressing room.

    From Howard Webb, on Wed 6 May 12:46PM

  8. Tom LFC, are you sure you're a Liverpool fan? You­ seem to spend a lot of time reading Utd pages

    From Graham P, on Wed 6 May 12:46PM

  9. point 26, whats that got to do with football? no one­ could care where you stay pal or what size of house you­ stay in, try and keep it football chat, .

    From Gary S, on Wed 6 May 12:42PM

  10. Jackmcloughlin11 thank you for your support. I must say­ that i don't live in a 'Scummy Little Hole'­ I live in a standard 4 bedroom detached house in North­ Wales.

    From Frosty, on Wed 6 May 12:38PM

  11. jackmcloughlin11 refer to Tom LFC's point- number­ 12- and then think about what you said to me

    From Scarlet, on Wed 6 May 12:30PM

  12. People are very quick to assume that a girl cant make­ comments on here (Tom LFC) and think that sticking up­ for myself means I am immature.

    People are attacking­ man utd, for no good reason apart from jealousy cos­ their crappy team is not going to Rome, and I need to­ grow up???

    Seriosuly, get your head's tested

    From Scarlet, on Wed 6 May 12:29PM

  13. Very constructive point I TYSON, you must be so proud­ to have such superior intellect!

    From Simon, on Wed 6 May 12:24PM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    O wow your a season ticket holder. That must mean that­ you know what your talking about then. Can you tell me­ how many of the 90% of games that you have been to that­ your performances were below par and scraped a one-nil?

    From Frosty, on Wed 6 May 12:23PM

  15. RE scarlet. Grow up love. If, just saying IF the lad­ did live in a scummy scouse council flat then whon are­ you to judge. Keep it to football and stop the nasty­ personal insults, thats why alot of United fans­ aren't liked because they have a limited knowledge­ of the game and revert to playground insults.

    From Jack M, on Wed 6 May 12:21PM

  16. Isn't it funny how the United haters say it­ wasn't a penalty against Spurs because the keeper­ got the ball, yet Fletcher getting the ball means­ nothing.

    From ÀÇÊÐ, on Wed 6 May 12:20PM

  17. bevandtrev, GROW UP YOU SAD TW-T

    From I TYSON, on Wed 6 May 12:19PM

  18. I agree the ref got it wrong, the same thing happened­ to his dad NORMAN STANLEY FLECTCHER in porridge, he was­ innocent yet had to serve a sentence for a crime he­ did'nt commit well they say like father.... like­ son. Maybe fregus could do MR MACKAY

    From em.power1, on Wed 6 May 12:15PM

  19. typical untied fans don't know the rules. a tackle­ from behind is outlawed, its a foul even if he does­ make contact with the ball first because you're not­ allowed to do it. so he commited a foul and denied a­ clear goalscoring opportunity... thats a red card. live­ with it.

    From Zaphod, on Wed 6 May 12:14PM

  20. Tom LFC- comments like that show what a very sad person­ you are, Oops- did I click on report as abuse? I think­ I may have done.

    I am actually a man utd season ticket­ holder and have been for 10 years. I was in moscow and­ have been to 90% of ALL away games in ALL competitions­ this season.

    Wow, and you do what? Apart from rot in a­ scummy scouse council house!

    Shame you can't talk­ about your own team on a page relating to the­ champion's league. Poor poor U!

    From Scarlet, on Wed 6 May 12:12PM
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