Chelsea and Tottenham fined for Battle of the Bridge
The match produced 12 yellow cards as well as two mass brawls involving players and coaches from both sides, as Chelsea fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 - a result which handed the title to Leicester. Matters came to a head again at the full-time whistle when a melee in the tunnel resulted in Chelsea’s interim manager Guus Hiddink being pushed to the ground.
Both clubs were subsequently charged with three counts of failing to control their players, while Spurs midfielder Mousa Dembele was handed a retrospective six-match ban for violent conduct, after clawing his fingers down the face of Chelsea forward Diego Costa.
The case was heard by an independent regulatory commission, at which both clubs accepted the charges and were also warned about future conduct. A statement from the Football Association read: “Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have been fined £375,000 and £225,000 respectively after both clubs admitted three breaches of FA Rule E20 for failing to control their players and/or officials.
“It follows incidents which occurred in the 45th and 87th minutes and also at the end of their fixture at Stamford Bridge on Monday 2 May 2016.
“Prior to this fixture, Chelsea had breached FA Rule E20 on four separate occasions and Tottenham Hotspur twice since November 2014.
“Following the Independent Regulatory Commission hearing, both clubs were also warned as to their future conduct.”
Meanwhile Italy head coach Antonio Conte is clear to take charge of Chelsea in the summer after being acquitted of charges pertaining to sporting fraud, an Italian judge has announced.
The 46-year-old, who will move to England and Stamford Bridge after leading Italy at the European Championship, had been accused of failing to report his knowledge of an incident of attempted match-fixing during his time as Siena boss in 2011.
Cremona-based prosecutor Roberto Di Martino had asked for Conte to be handed a suspended six-month prison sentence and fined €8,000 but the former Juventus coach, represented by lawyers, was yesterday acquitted by judge Pierpaolo Beluzzi during a preliminary hearing.
Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Carlo Tavecchio welcomed the decision, telling Italian newspaper Il Sole: “I am highly satisfied with the court’s acquittal of Antonio Conte.
“Finally his position has been clarified and my confidence in him has never been in question. Now we are all the more focused on the Euros.”
In 2012 Conte, who has always denied any wrongdoing, served a four-month ban imposed by the FIGC in connection with the case, which is known in Italy as ‘Calcioscommesse’.
Conte last night marked the end of a “nightmare period” in his life by publishing a statement on his official Facebook page.
“Four years ago, a search of my house at 5am ushered in a nightmare period that at times I felt would go on forever,” wrote the Lecce-born tactician. “Those who stood by me, and who know me best, know how much I have struggled with the idea that my name might be associated with the shameful world of match- fixing.
“Today finally draws a line under this ugly story.
“I thank my family and the many people who never believed even for a moment the words which presented a false image of my lifestyle.
“As I have already said to those who were trying to judge me, I am a sportsman and I know no other way to achieve success than through sacrifice and total dedication.
“It was a terrible experience and I have faced it head on. This is demonstrated by the fact that I decided to take part in the process, as I have always done in life, rather than looking for loopholes.
“To all those who never doubted my honesty, I want to express my gratitude, and reassure them that I have emerged from this testing time as a stronger and more highly motivated person.”
Meanwhile Conte has included seven new faces in a 28-man training squad as Italy step up their preparations for the European Championship.The head coach has omitted Juventus and AC Milan players ahead of Saturday’s Coppa Italia final in Rome. Marco Benassi, Danilo Cataldi, Armando Izzo, Leonardo Pavoletti, Marco Sportiello, Lorenzo Tonelli and Davide Zappacosta are the untested Serie A players summoned to Coverciano.
Sunderland striker Fabio Borini and Bologna goalkeeper Antonio Mirante are back in the fold. Conte will reduce the current selection on May 23 ahead of friendly meetings with Scotland and Finland, in Malta and Verona on May 29 and June 6.
Italy will then fly to Montpellier - their base for Euro 2016 - before facing Belgium in Lyon, Sweden in Toulouse and the Republic of Ireland in Lille.
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