Uefa has confirmed that its disciplinary body will meet on Monday to discuss Manchester United's appeal against the red card issued to Darren Fletcher in the Champions League semi-final second leg against Arsenal. However the United manager Sir Alex Ferguson does not expect Fletcher's suspension for the final to be overturned.

Fletcher was given a straight red for a professional foul on Arsenal's Cesc Fábregas in the penalty area, but television replays have subsequently suggested that he got a clean touch on the ball. Although there is no appeals process, United have pleaded Fletcher's case on compassionate grounds.

"I am not optimistic at all," said Ferguson. "We have to do it for Darren and sometimes in these situations, you never know. But I don't think it will be overturned. The referee made an honest decision."

Ferguson praised Fletcher for retaining his composure at being ruled out of the final and admitted even he thought it was a fair penalty at the time.

"Darren is quite a placid lad. He is not an over-emotional boy," Ferguson said. "He just accepts it. He takes great credit for the way he handled it. I honestly believed the referee made the right decision at the time. From his angle – and from mine – it looked like a penalty.

"It was only when I saw the replay that I saw that Darren had managed to get his leg round Fábregas and flick the ball away.

"Darren is an honest player, so honest if he had been an old stager he would probably have let him go on and score. But he was still determined to try and do his job and prevent a goal. In the process he gave away a penalty."

Had it been a domestic contest, the FA would have looked at the incident again on video. Uefa competitions offer no such redemption, with the United boss believing it is a flaw that needs looking at. "It seems to be a weakness in Uefa, that part," he said.