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| Joshua King |
Football giants humiliate themselves in Amsterdam. Joshua King investigates.
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho and four of his players are facing sideline spells after being charged with unsporting conduct.
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho and four of his players are facing sideline spells after being charged with unsporting conduct.
Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos each received a second yellow card for time wasting in the dying moments of Real’s 4-0 Champions League romp against Ajax. The bizarre sending off of the two world champion players has sparked uproar following accusations that Mourinho ordered his players to deliberately get themselves red-carded. In doing so they have both received a one match ban (which will take effect in a meaningless group game against Auxerre later this month) and will thereby wipe their disciplinary slate clean and avoid suspensions during the vital knock-out stage.
Mourinho, Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso, will face the UEFA disciplinary board at the end of the month, along with Iker Casillas and Jerzy Dudek, both of whom have been accused of passing on Mourinho’s instructions.
After the match the Real coach denied any wrong doing: "I spoke with many players throughout the game, not only with Ramos and Alonso," he said. "Stories sell, but the important thing is the 4-0 win and the fantastic game we had. Let's talk about that and not other things."
There is some question as to whether the former Inter Milan manager actually broke any rules, though should UEFA deem his conduct unsporting that may be irrelevant.
It’s certainly not the first time that ‘the special one’ has found UEFA hot water. The Portugese received a two match touchline ban following his accusation that Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard met with referee Anders Frisk during half time of a match between Mourinho’s Chelsea and the Catalan giants in 2005. UEFA have made it clear that they will not take into account the Frisk incident with regards this latest charge of unsporting behaviour.
Do you think Mourinho deserves a touchline ban? Or is all fair in love and football? Post your comments below.
A clever move by Mourinho but this is hugely unsporting in my view. Totally against the spirit of the game. He, and the players involved, deserve to be suspended for 3 games. For me that would send the right message.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more. Unless they are handed additional match bans that will affect their knock-out campaign then Mourinho's cunning will have paid off.
ReplyDelete