Mourinho gets three-match ban for handcuffs gesture

By David Shonfield

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

JOSE MOURINHO has been given a three-match ban and fined €40,000 following his handcuffs gesture during Saturday’s match with Sampdoria in which two Inter Milan players were sent off.

Inter defenders Walter Samuel and Ivan Cordoba both saw red during the goalless draw at the San Siro, prompting Mourinho to cross his arms in a gesture which has been interpreted as his way of suggesting his side were being victimised by officials.

The gesture during the Serie A clash followed his jibe on Friday when he said: "I don’t stick my head in the sand, I know there is only one team in Italy that has a penalty area 25 metres long."

There he was referring to a penalty awarded to Juventus when Alessandro Del Piero was fouled outside the area and his comments and behaviour have provoked anger among referees and club administrators.

The suspension refers to Serie A matches meaning he will be banned from the dugout for the games against Udinese, Genoa and Catania as Inter look to maintain their lead at the top of the table.

As well as Mourinho’s ban, Sulley Muntari and Esteban Cambiasso were suspended for two games, the former for insulting match officials while the latter was punished for attempting to punch a Sampdoria player.

With Samuel and Cordoba receiving automatic one-match bans, it means Inter will be severely depleted as they look to shake off the challenge of Roma, who have reduced their lead at the top to five points.

Inter were furious after Saturday’s game, imposing a media blackout, and such was the anger at Mourinho, referees reportedly threatened to strike if they deemed the Nerazzurri boss had not been sufficiently punished.

The sanction was imposed by the Lega Calcio, who stated it was because Mourinho "repeatedly challenged the officials, especially by mimicking handcuffs with his wrists and arms crossed, and faced the crowds and television cameras.... Also, he insulted the referee and his assistants in the tunnel and also repeatedly insulted officials."

The furore comes as Inter prepare to host Chelsea in the first leg of their knockout clash in the Champions League tomorrow night, with goalkeeper Julio Cesar a doubt after suffering minor injuries in a car accident.

This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Tuesday, February 23, 2010