Mourinho receives Uefa ban

The Portuguese boss won last year’s Champions League with Inter Milan [GALLO/GETTY]

Still reeling from a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Barcelona in ‘El Clasico’, Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has been given a two-match ban for improper conduct by Uefa after allegations that two of his players deliberately got sent off in a Champions League match against Ajax Amsterdam.

Mourinho received a $51,990 fine for instructing Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos to get sent off in last week’s 4-0 win. Each of the players received a £25,000 fine and a suspension from Real’s next group match. They will however start the knockout rounds in February with a clean slate.

Mourinho was also given a further one-match suspension to be imposed if the Portuguese coach is found guilty within the next three years of what Uefa calls “improper conduct.”

Instructions

Mourinho had denied the accusations but footage of the match showed him apparently sending instructions from the bench immediately before Alonso and Ramos received second yellow cards for time-wasting late on.

Uefa also fined Real Madrid $155,980, while goalkeepers Iker Casillas and Jerzy Dudek were fined smaller amounts for apparently passing on Mourinho’s orders.

Real have three days to appeal against Uefa’s punishment.

Spain internationals Ramos and Alonso were dismissed late in Real’s 4-0 win in the Dutch capital after picking up second yellow cards.

The sendings-off meant they would serve automatic one-match suspensions in the final group game against Auxerre, which is a dead match for Real as they are assured of first place in Group G and qualification for the last 16.

Both players had accumulated two yellow cards in the group stage before they were sent off and a further yellow card in a subsequent game would have meant a one-match suspension during the knockout rounds.