Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has been fined by UEFA for his astonishing outburst, in which he suggested that the draw for the quarter-final of the Champions League had been fixed.
Ferguson was fined roughly €7,500 by UEFA, after he hinted that the draw was rigged in order to ensure that United did not reach the May final which will be played at Old Trafford.
The United boss was quoted as saying "It was a nice draw for the Spanish and Italians - I think they picked it themselves. The three Italian teams have avoided each other and so have the three Spanish. How do you think that worked out?"
"I can tell you - UEFA don't want us in the final, that's for sure. I don't know why they have given the final to Old Trafford because they don't want us to get there."
Although Ferguson later apologised for his remarks, the United boss was still fined he, according to UEFA, "cast doubt upon the integrity of the draw".
Elsewhere, the English FA were fined 150,000 Swiss Francs after the crowd disturbances and racist abuse by supporters during their recent Euro 2004 qualification game against Turkey in Sunderland. However, UEFA stopped short of forcing them to play their next Euro 2004 qualifier, against Slovakia, behind closed doors.
Filed by Rob Wright
