Jose Mourinho on Sky Sports: Chelsea manager shunts James Beattie off Goals on Sunday to go on the attack
Chelsea manager risks more disciplinary trouble with surprise appearance to criticise Burnley player Ashley Barnes and referee Martin Atkinson, call for wider use of video technology and question Sky's integrity
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Your support makes all the difference.Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, on Sunday went out of his way to risk more disciplinary action by going on television to escalate his attack on what he called Ashley Barnes' "criminal challenge", for which the Burnley player went unpunished while the recipient, Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic, was sent off in Saturday’s 1-1 draw.
Sky Sports’ morning programme Goals On Sunday’s live guest was scheduled to be James Beattie, but Mourinho replaced the former striker at the last minute, with Sky announcing his appearance only 20 minutes before the programme began.
The Portuguese had already been outspoken about the Barnes incident immediately after the game, returning to his recent theme of how officiating decisions constantly go against his side, denying them a larger lead at the top of the Premier League table.
On the show, Mourinho was back on the attack, despite being fined £25,000 and warned as to his future conduct less than a month ago after his claims in December that there was an orchestrated campaign aimed at destabilising Chelsea. He accused the referee Martin Atkinson of making “four mistakes” and also hit out at Sky. Then on the Barnes challenge he said: “I can’t find the word to describe what that player did. 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.
“This [tackle] could be end of career. Because I can’t find another adjective stronger. I just say this is end of career. Matic is a lucky guy.”
He then compared Sky’s immediate reaction to Diego Costa’s alleged stamping in last month’s game against Liverpool (the Chelsea striker was later given a three-match ban). “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 to 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’.” Diego Costa has a three-match ban. Matic will probably get three. You tell me how many games you think they deserve.”
Mourinho highlighted four incidents which he believed shaped the outcome of the match against Burnley. He is convinced Barnes should have been dismissed for a knee on Branislav Ivanovic in the 31st minute and said Chelsea should have been awarded penalties in the 34th and 44th minutes.
The last incident was the Barnes challenge on Matic and Mourinho questioned the performance of Atkinson. “The best players in the world make mistakes. This gentleman [Atkinson] is one of the top referees in European football, he can also make mistakes,” Mourinho said. “He clearly made four important mistakes yesterday. He is like the lawyer who is consistent because he lost 15 of 15 cases. You don’t want that lawyer.”
However, the manager added: “I’m not attacking the honest 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. I can only remember one decision all season which went in our favour. Now I am risking my dugout in the final because I am having this conversation.
“I speak about these incidents week after week, because they happen week after week. My players are not getting the respect they deserve and it is too much.”
Mourinho then called for referees to be aided with video technology. “If I was a referee I would welcome it, the same as goal-line technology. I am so comfortable with goal-line technology now, whereas before it came in I was not comfortable. But now I am.
“They [referees] are trying but they are not doing well. If the referee cannot see, some official in front of a screen cannot miss it. We want to protect the integrity of the game.
“If the referee cannot see a penalty three metres in front of him, some official in front of a screen cannot miss it,” Mourinho added.
“If we want to protect the integrity of referees and believe the mistake is a consequence of misinterpretation or a bad position or the unpredictability of the game, I think technology can help.”
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