Chelsea face Euro ejection by UEFA
The club, manager Jose Mourinho, his assistant Steve Clarke and security official Les Miles were all charged yesterday with bringing the game into disrepute for making “false, wrong and unfounded” allegations that Rijkaard spoke with Frisk in the referee’s dressing room at half-time during the match at the Nou Camp last month.
UEFA say Chelsea’s claims created “a poisoned and negative ambience” in an attempt to influence the second leg, and these have led to the charges, which are unprecedented in European football.
UEFA spokesman William Gaillard said: “They were basically using lies as a pre-match tactic. They were trying to qualify for the next round by putting pressure on referees and officials through false statements.
“They were ready to use disloyal methods and, frankly, this is totally and completely unacceptable.”
It is difficult to predict the punishments that will be meted by the disciplinary committee on March 31 because there has been no similar case in the past.
If disqualification is viewed as too extreme, the charges are still serious enough for Chelsea to expect severe punishment, in the form of a suspended sentence and lengthy touchline bans for Mourinho, Clarke and Miles.
Chelsea’s written complaint to UEFA about Rijkaard and Frisk has come back to haunt them.
In their report, Chelsea said Clarke and Miles both witnessed the Barca coach going into the referee’s room at half-time.
However, in an article for Portuguese magazine Dez Record, Mourinho said he had witnessed Rijkaard entering Frisk’s room.
Since receiving the report, UEFA have sent officials back to the Nou Camp to investigate, and an architectural plan of the stadium forms part of he evidence against Chelsea.
Gaillard added: “I can categorically state this alleged meeting did not happen. There is a clear contradiction in Chelsea’s complaint. They say Clarke and Miles saw the meeting but we know by looking at the architecture that from where they were they could not have seen anything.
“Then Mr Mourinho says in a signed article he was the one who saw it.
“What we do know from the reports from the referee and the venue director is that Mr Mourinho came out of the Chelsea dressing room and shouted in a quite aggressive way at Anders Frisk: ‘Can I also come into your dressing room’.”
Following the match, which Barcelona won 2-1, Mourinho attacked Frisk and called for Pierluigi Collina to referee the second leg. Frisk subsequently announced his retirement following death threats to him and his family from Chelsea extremists.
Mourinho said on February 27: “When I saw Rijkaard entering the referee’s dressing room I couldn’t believe it. When (Didier) Drogba was sent off I didn’t get surprised.
“There is something that tells me that in London the referee will be Collina, the best in the world. A perfect referee with personality and quality.”
The club then sent in a report to UEFA making the allegations that Frisk had met Rijkaard, despite denials by both men and several independent witnesses, including the UEFA match delegate.
UEFA had already appointed Collina for the second leg before Mourinho’s remark, although they had not made it public knowledge, and Chelsea qualified for the quarter-finals after winning the second leg 4-2.
Chelsea were already charged with failing to attend the post-match press conference and appearing late for the second half at the Nou Camp. These offences will be dealt with on Thursday.
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