UEFA sets up another El Clasico clash

Following their fiery Champions League semifinal Real Madrid and Barcelona find themselves facing a UEFA hearing

Barca Real Madrid
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Jose Mourinho turns to sarcastically clap the referee following Pepe’s dismissal [GALLO/GETTY]

Lionel Messi might have won the battle between Barcelona and Real Madrid on the night but the rivalry continues to fester off the pitch. On Thursday UEFA brought charges against both clubs after two red cards were shown and Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho was sent from the touchline.

European football’s governing body said it was also investigating the post-match comments made by Mourinho, the throwing of missiles by Real Madrid fans and a pitch invasion.

Much of the hearing is likely to centre around Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho who was sent to the stands after protesting to the fourth official following Pepe’s dismissal. Midfielder Pepe was sent off for a studs-up lunge at Barcelona’s Daniel Alves in the second half sparking a passionate reaction from Mourinho.

The Real coach did not help his case by then going on to unleash an attack on Barcelona, UEFA and Unicef – Barcelona’s kit sponsor- after the game.

“[Barcelona’s Pep] Guardiola is a fantastic coach, but he’s won one Champions League which I would be ashamed to win after the scandal at Stamford Bridge and this year, if he wins it again, it will be after the scandal at the Bernabeu.”

Mourinho was full of conspiracy theories after Messi scored two goals to leave Real with little hope of progressing to the final at Wembley. 

“It’s clear that against Barcelona you have no chance.”

“I don’t know if it’s the publicity of Unicef, I don’t know if it’s because they are very nice, but they’ve got this power.”

Barcelona issued a statement giving their reaction to Mourinho’s comments.

“In the post match press conference, Jose Mourinho severely criticised the referee Herr (Wolfgang) Stark and insinuated that UEFA treated Barca favourably,” the club said.

“The club’s legal department is now studying whether to take his remarks to the UEFA disciplinary commission.”

Uefa said they would not comment on the events until they had seen the referee’s match report. The hearing is scheduled for May 6, three days after the second leg of the Champions League semifinal between the teams. 

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Mourinho has often found himself in trouble with UEFA. He has already been in the UEFA’s bad books this season, serving a one-match ban over allegations that two of his Real Madrid players engineered deliberate red cards in a group game with Ajax Amsterdam.

Barcelona have been on the receiving end of Mourinho’s post-match allegations before. In 2005, as manager of Chelsea, Mourinho was handed a two-match touchline ban by UEFA after alleging Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard visited the Swedish referee Anders Frisk at half time during the first leg of their Champions League first knockout round tie at the Nou Camp. He claimed Rijkaard’s interference had influenced the decision to send Didier Drogba off in the second half.

Frisk received death threats from Chelsea fans following the Nou Camp leg and announced his immediate retirement from refereeing, leading to condemnation of Chelsea by UEFA.

Mourinho is not likely to have made any friends within UEFA after his most recent rant.

UEFA target Rangers fans

Scottish club Rangers have avoided a stadium closure for home European matches next season, though its fans were banned on Thursday from attending one away game because of their sectarian songs.

UEFA’s disciplinary committee found Rangers guilty of discriminatory behaviour and ordered a travel ban for one European competition match, with a further one-match ban suspended for three years.

UEFA also deferred a one-match stadium closure for a probationary period of three years.

Rangers had been warned by UEFA to expect a sanction of two closed-door matches at its 50,000-capacity Ibrox stadium.

Instead, the European football authority gave the club another chance to curb its persistent problem of fans chanting songs rooted in religious bigotry.

“The club put its own case very forcibly to UEFA and the more draconian sanctions that were recommended by the disciplinary inspector have been mitigated to a degree,'” Rangers chief executive Martin Bain said in a
statement.

Bain said Rangers would consider appealing the punishment, and a fine of 40,000 Euros

Source: News Agencies