José Mourinho has been charged with
misconduct by the Football
Association after suggesting referees
are “afraid to give decisions to
Chelsea” in the wake of Saturday’s
home defeat by Southampton.
The Portuguese was infuriated that
Robert Madley did not award his side a
second-half penalty when Maarten
Stekelenburg darted off his line and
made contact with Radamel Falcao in
the box. The Colombian, who appeared
to have been falling when contact was
made, was booked for a dive.
Southampton had been denied two
spot-kicks earlier in the contest when
Virgil van Dijk was tugged down by
Branislav Ivanovic and Ramires
appeared to step on Sadio Mane’s foot.
Mourinho, whose team capitulated
immediately after the non-award of
the spot kick to Chelsea, appeared to
acknowledge he would be sanctioned
before launching into his criticism of
the officials in a seven-minute
monologue delivered to Sky
immediately after the game. “I think,
first of all, I want to say that because
we are in such a bad moment you
should not be afraid to be honest,” he
said. “When we are at the top there is
quite big pleasure in putting us down.
But when you are so down I think it is
time to be honest and say clearly that
referees are afraid to give decisions to
Chelsea.
“At 1-1 there is a huge penalty and,
once more, we do not get it. It was at a
crucial moment in the game. I repeat,
if the FA wants to punish me they can
punish me, it is not a problem. But I
want to repeat because my players
deserve it, Chelsea fans deserve it. I
am a Chelsea fan too. I want to say
again that referees are afraid to give
decisions to Chelsea. Why? Because
when they do give there is always a
question mark from you, there is
always a critic. So we are always
punished.
“We are [already] punished because
Diego Costa is suspended with images.
In other matches we see it doesn’t
happen. Clear penalties were not
given. Even in the Champions League
[at Porto] when we lost 2-1, a game
with not three officials but five, we are
not given a penalty in the last minute.
And this decision was crucial. Do you
know why? Because my team, in this
moment, collapse with the first
negative thing that happens. It was a
giant penalty that he was afraid to
give. Like everybody else is afraid to
give.”
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The FA confirmed the charge in a
statement released on Monday
evening, alleging Mourinho’s remarks
“constitute improper conduct in that
they allege and/or imply bias on the
part of a match official or match
officials and/or bring the game into
disrepute.” The Chelsea manager has
until 6pm on Thursday to respond to
the charge.
Although there are no set punishments
for breaches of rules such as this while
conducting media duties, the manager
is likely to be fined if found guilty.
That would be his fourth such sanction
since returning to English football in
2013, following an altercation with
Chris Foy on the pitch at Aston Villa
and a sarcastic appraisal of Mike
Dean’s performance in a defeat by
Sunderland, both in his first season
back in the Premier League.
Those brought fines of £8,000 and
£10,000 respectively, with the
manager fined £25,000 in January
after claiming a “campaign” had been
mounted against Chelsea after a draw
against Southampton at the end of last
year. On that occasion Cesc Fàbregas
had been booked for simulation by the
referee, Anthony Taylor, having been
fouled by Matt Targett.
