UEFA may take action against Essien

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has given UEFA the green light to take disciplinary action against Michael Essien for the Chelsea midfielder’s shocking foul on Liverpool’s Dietmar Hamann.

Essien’s knee-high challenge was missed by German referee Herbert Fandel but Blatter confirmed that UEFA could use video evidence to bring charges against the Chelsea player.

“In 1994 the FIFA executive committee took a decision that the disciplinary committee can use television evidence in the case of infractions against the laws of the game that have not been identified by the referee,” said Blatter.

“As this happened in a Champions League game it is up to UEFA to decide whether to review video evidence.”

In October, Essien escaped any further disciplinary action following another dangerous tackle on Bolton defender Tal Ben Haim despite referee Rob Styles, after reviewing TV footage, wanting to upgrade the yellow card he awarded to red.

The FA consulted FIFA and were told that the decision could not be reversed.

Blatter appeared to contradict that yesterday by saying “if it was a blatant red card and only a yellow card was given the disciplinary body can transfer it,” but FIFA communications director Markus Siegler later clarified the rules.

Siegler said: “You cannot upgrade or downgrade one card to another but you can take action if the referee has not seen an incident.”

UEFA are waiting for reports from referee Frandel and match delegate Indrek Kannik of Spain.

Hamann claimed no-one at Chelsea had apologised for Essien’s horror tackle - and admitted he was astonished no official even saw it.

The 32-year-old, who has already condemned the tackle as the “worst I have suffered in my career” said: “The referee blew the whistle just a second beforehand for something else, but how when they have four ‘referees’ around the pitch these days did nobody see what happened?

“I thought they were trying to stop things like that happening in the game.

“Nobody from Chelsea has said anything to me and Essien hasn’t apologised.”

Meanwhile, John Terry insisted Chelsea’s supremacy in the Premiership proves they are still a better side than Liverpool - despite Rafael Benitez’s team holding the edge over them in the Champions League.

“Last season, they won the Champions League and sometimes it’s just not meant to be even if it’s really hard to take.

“Even now, the fact we were beaten by Liverpool is still there in the back of my mind and it always will be.”

However, asked if Chelsea are still a better team than Liverpool, Terry said. “The Premiership table says it all.”