Mourinho handed two-match touchline ban
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Your support makes all the difference.The Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was today handed a two-match touchline ban by UEFA's control and disciplinary body in Nyon.
Chelsea, Mourinho, his assistant Steve Clarke and security official Les Miles were charged by UEFA with bringing the game into disrepute following the first leg of their Champions League tie in Barcelona.
They had claimed Barca coach Frank Rijkaard entered referee Anders Frisk's changing room during the half-time interval.
Along with the ban - which would see Mourinho unable to "contact" his team before, during or after the two legs of the quarter-final against Bayern Munich - the Portuguese boss was fined 20,000 Swiss francs (around £9,000).
Chelsea, who must be informed in writing of UEFA's decision before deciding whether to appeal, were fined 75,000 Swiss francs (£33,000) and Clarke and Miles reprimanded.
Chelsea plc chairman Bruce Buck, club secretary Dave Barnard and QC Jim Thurman, a barrister specialising in football charges cases, arrived in Nyon this morning to represent the club at the hearing.
Chelsea went into the hearing hoping that a partial retraction of their claims about Rijkaard meeting Frisk would save them from from Champions League expulsion.
They lost the first leg in Spain 2-1 but won the return game at Stamford Bridge 4-2.
Chelsea denied the disrepute charge and stood by their line that Clarke and Miles saw Rijkaard in an area forbidden to coaching and playing staff in the Nou Camp stadium last month and reported their concerns to Mourinho.
Mourinho back-tracked on his remarks in a Portuguese magazine that he saw Rijkaard enter the referee's dressing room and admitted his subsequent comments were made because he trusted his staff.
When the charges were announced, UEFA released a statement saying Chelsea had deliberately created "a poisoned and negative ambience" by their official complaint alleging the meeting between Frisk and Rijkaard had taken place.
But, even though Mourinho will not be allowed in "the dressing room, tunnel or technical area before and during" the matches against Bayern, the club have escaped the heaviest punishment available to European football's governing body and their manager remains on course to collect the trophy he won with Porto last season.
They play Bayern at Stamford Bridge next Wednesday with the return leg in the Olympic Stadium in Munich on April 12.
UEFA's statement read: "Having listened to evidence presented by the disciplinary inspector and by Chelsea FC, the control and disciplinary body decided to impose a two-match suspension and a fine of 20,000 Swiss francs on Chelsea manager Josi Mourinho.
"Chelsea were fined 75,000 Swiss francs. Les Miles and Steve Clarke were each reprimanded. The above decisions may be appealed against within three days of UEFA informing the club in writing of the reasoning.
"As far as the touchline ban is concerned, Article 70 paragraph two of the UEFA disciplinary regulations states: 'A team manager/coach who is suspended from carrying out his function may follow the match for which he is suspended from the stands only.
"He is not allowed in the dressing room, tunnel or technical area before and during the match nor is he allowed to get in contact with his team."
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