Football
ESPN staff 9y

Jose Mourinho risks suspension, calls Ashley Barnes' tackle 'criminal'

Jose Mourinho said he was willing to risk a suspension for the Capital One Cup final as he continued his complaints over Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Burnley and labelled Ashley Barnes' challenge on Nemanja Matic "criminal."

Mourinho had made clear his dissatisfaction with "four moments" during Saturday's match, as Burnley rescued a point at Stamford Bridge after Nemanja Matic was sent off.

Mourinho had said after the game that he was unhappy with incidents in the 30th, 33rd, 43rd and 69th minutes, suggesting Barnes should have been punished for a challenge on Branislav Ivanovic, Chelsea should have had two penalties, and that the failure to punish Barnes for his first challenge led to the tackle on Matic that prompted the Serbian to react.

He had refused to discuss the incidents in too much detail on Saturday, saying: "I'm punished when I refer to these situations. I don't want to be punished." However, he was willing to elaborate during an appearance on Sky Sports' "Goals on Sunday" programme.

"At half-time, Burnley should be playing with 10 men and Chelsea should have two penalties," he said. "Normally, we win 3-0 or let's put in the possibility of missing one of the penalties -- we win 2-0 and play against 10 men. The reality is that in the end, we play with 10 men and lost two points."

While Mourinho felt Barnes deserved to be dismissed for the challenge on Ivanovic, he felt the Burnley forward deserved far greater criticism for the tackle on Matic.

Referring to the reaction to Chelsea striker Diego Costa's stamps on Emre Can and Martin Skrtel, which Sky pundits had labelled "crimes," Mourinho said: "When I finished at the game against Liverpool, I went to the dressing room and the first thing I saw on the big screen, reading non-stop -- 'Diego Costa crimes.'

"I would like to know how do you, Sky Sports, describe the actions of the Burnley player yesterday? My English is not good enough to find a word. When you think 'Diego crimes' after he puts his boot on a hand, when this is 'Diego crimes,' the minimum you have to say is 'criminal tackle.'

"Did you apologise to Chelsea, to Diego or myself? You didn't. As an institution, Sky is so important in the Premier League, you never apologise. When Diego Costa has a three-match ban, probably three matches to Matic... tell me how many matches this player deserves?"

He defended Matic, who had been sent off for shoving Barnes, saying: "I can clearly understand that football is about emotions and sometimes you lose emotions. Clearly Matic had a reason to lose his emotions. What could be the consequence of his push for the other player? Nothing. The consequence for Matic could be end of career."

Mourinho, who was fined 25,000 pounds last month for saying there may be a "campaign" against his club, continued to suggest Chelsea are treated differently.

Regarding the coverage of the Costa stamps, he said: "I don't like the fact you start immediately, in that moment, the public judgement of the player. You gave no space to the people that have to decide, the pressure was so much."

He again brought up the examples of Manchester United's Robin van Persie and Manchester City's Yaya Toure, which he had referenced earlier this month when saying he felt the Football Association's disciplinary measures were inconsistent.

"You don't do this with every club, with every player," he added. "Last year, Yaya Toure against Norwich, you didn't have the same approach. Van Persie against West Ham, you didn't have the same approach."

Despite his anger over the decisions on Saturday, Mourinho, who denied that he is using his criticism of officials to protect his players, defended referee Martin Atkinson.

"The best players in the world can make mistakes -- they miss penalties," he said. "The best goalkeepers make mistakes. This gentlemen is one of the top referees in European football. He can also make mistakes. He made important mistakes yesterday."

He said technology would help to eradicate officials' errors, saying: "If the referee can't see a penalty three metres in front of him, an official in front of a screen can't miss it. If we want to protect the integrity of the referee and believe that the mistake is the consequence of misinterpretation or a bad position, I think technology can help."

Mourinho said he realised he could face a suspension for the Capital One Cup final against Tottenham next Sunday by making his complaints public.

"I'm risking my dugout in the final because maybe tomorrow I get a ban," he said. "The incidents, I'm speaking about week after week, exactly because it's week after week...

"When I go to the media and do what I did [on Saturday] -- '30, 33, 43, 69 and goodbye' -- or do what I'm doing with you, I'm not attacking the honesty or dignity of anyone, I'm not trying to bring the game into disrepute -- which is always [the phrase] they use when they want to punish me.

"I'm just trying to be honest. If you ask me about the five-points difference [over second-placed Manchester City] I would say that if we are in a normal situation where mistakes which are part of the game are sometimes in our favour, sometimes against us, it wouldn't be five, it would be 12."

Information from the Press Association was used in this report.

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