Jose Mourinho is serving his one-match stadium ban at Stoke this weekend after a foul-mouthed rant at referee Jonathan Moss, the Football Association revealed on Friday.
The FA have released the written reasons for the case, which Mourinho opted not to contest and say Mourinho refused to leave the officials’ dressing room at West Ham’s Upton Park while aiming a barrage of abuse at Moss.
Moss’s testimony of the half-time incident from struggling Chelsea’s defeat on October 24 claims Mourinho was furious after Nemanja Matic had been sent-off for two bookable offences and the visitors denied two goals, one due to goal-line technology and the other due to offside.
“When myself and my colleagues left the field of play at half time, as we entered the tunnel area to get to our dressing room, Mr Mourinho the Chelsea manager was waiting for us clearly agitated and began aggressively asking about first half decisions,” Moss says in the written reasons.
“Rather than publically (sic) speak to him I asked him to step into the entrance of my dressing room escorted by Simon Sutton, the West Ham United security manager.
“Mr Mourinho asked me about a tackle, an offside and a goal line clearance. I gave him brief answers to his questions. After this I asked him to leave the dressing room area.
“He refused. I asked him again. After he refused again I asked Mr Sutton to escort him from the room. At this point Mr Mourinho became very aggressive and animated.
“He shouted that you ******* referees are weak… (Arsenal manager Arsene) Wenger is right about you… you are ******* weak.
“I advised Mr Mourinho not to take his position in the technical area for the second half due to his actions.”
Reports from the assistant referees and fourth official corroborated Moss’ comments, the written reasons said.
Mourinho was informed of the charge on October 26 and admitted it three days later before the sanction was announced on Monday.
The Blues boss chose not to appeal, announcing his decision on Friday.
“It is clear from both the letter from Mr Mourinho and his submissions that he regrets the incident and to his credit he made an early admission,” the written reasons said.
“His behaviour was in the opinion of the commission unacceptable and he showed a total lack of respect for the match officials and the sanctuary of their changing room.
“That is a most serious matter and has to be dealt with accordingly.”
The three-man commission argued a financial penalty “has little or no impact upon his behaviour” after assessing his previous disciplinary matters. He was, though, fined £40,000.
The commission also determined a touchline ban would be insufficient, given he would still have access to the tunnel area.
Mourinho on Friday accepted the punishment, having failed in an appeal against a suspended one-match stadium ban and £50,000 fine for a separate offence for comments made about officials following the loss to Southampton. – Agence France-Presse
