Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was fined 10,000 Swiss francs ($7,375) by UEFA on Thursday for remarks suggesting the Champions League quarter-final draw had been rigged.Ferguson had been charged over remarks in British newspapers last month which UEFA, European soccer’s ruling body, had said “cast doubt upon the integrity of the draw”.UEFA spokesman Mike Lee said on Thursday that UEFA had taken into account that Ferguson had been fined previously for untoward comments.There were three Italian and three Spanish clubs in the last eight but the draw, which set up United’s defeat by holders Real Madrid, avoided any all-Spanish or all-Italian clashes, also pitching Barcelona against Juventus, Valencia against Inter Milan and AC Milan against Ajax Amsterdam.Ferguson was quoted as saying in Sunday newspaper reports: “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.”Ferguson later apologised for his comments.
