Chelsea, Fletcher & a Sermon on Romans

The events of the two Champions League semi finals this week seem to be perhaps the best sermon on Romans I’ve heard for a long time. For those who didn’t see or simply don’t care, Darren Fletcher was sent off for a challenge that turned out on the replays to be perfectly legal. In the other game, Chelsea were dumped out by Barcalona having conceded a 93rd minute goal… and having been denied a number of stone-cold penalty decisions.

This morning on Sports Week, a BBC radio sports show, the head of UEFA made it clear: ‘the law is the law.’ Despite universal sympathy for Fletcher, who will now have to miss the greatest match of his career, no natural justice or grace can be shown. In the face of this cast iron, unforgiving Law, Didier Drogba and Michael Ballack (and, to a lesser extent, the rest of the Chelsea squad) experienced the red mist of rampant anger. Injustice. No mercy. Violence.

Paul knew a little of sports; if he did write Hebrews, perhaps he was a even a fan. I wonder what he would have counseled the authorities to do in these situations? On the one hand it would seem sensible to punish Drogba for his shocking attack on the referee, though perhaps in the face of unjust decisions, ‘the good he wants to do he can’t do’ we should seek to understand his anger.

On the other, it would seem the only right thing to do for the beautiful game to rescind Fletcher’s red card and allow him to play. To do otherwise leaves people angry and disengaged from the law.

Come on UEFA, you don’t want that. Make the right decision. Do the right thing. Let the man play and cap an awful week for football with a sensible decision that shows you have spirit.