Chelsea likely to be fined

Chelsea are likely to be fined tomorrow by UEFA’s Control and Disciplinary Body for two misdemeanours during and after their Champions League clash with Barcelona at the Nou Camp.

The last-16 first leg, which Chelsea lost 2-1, has been overshadowed by the events which led to Swedish referee Anders Frisk retiring from the game.

The incident when Frisk is alleged to have spoken with Barca coach Frank Rijkaard eclipsed the fact UEFA were unhappy with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho failing to attend the post-match press conference and that his side were late on the pitch for the second half.

The row has escalated to unprecedented heights following Chelsea’s claim witnesses saw Rijkaard leave Frisk’s room during the interval.

The report they submitted to UEFA has led to disrepute charges for Mourinho, his assistant Steve Clarke and security official Les Miles. Mourinho expects UEFA to drop the charges and Chelsea are standing by their version of events.

Mourinho told Portuguese television: “I have the expectation of complete dismissal, complete dismissal.”

Yet UEFA have stated, in their opinion, all three made ’false declarations’ and the club deliberately created a ’poisoned ambience’ for the return leg which Chelsea duly won 4-2 to reach the quarter-finals.

Those charges, which carry the ultimate sanction of elimination from the competition, will not be heard until March 31.

Chelsea will, however, almost certainly be fined tomorrow for the two other charges. It is understood Mourinho hurled abuse at Frisk when the official opened to door to request Chelsea make their way onto the pitch for the second half.

The abuse was, it is believed, included in Frisk’s report and UEFA are likely to make an example of the club to act as a deterrent.

UEFA director of communications William Gaillard, however, insists Mourinho will receive a fair hearing.

He said: “Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty. It is his right to say what he thinks. The Control and Disciplinary body will look at all the evidence.”

Mourinho could received a touchline ban but Chelsea are unlikely to be thrown out of the competition.

Even when faced with having to sit in the stands, Mourinho has demonstrated an amazing propensity for getting his message across to his players.

In the dying moments of Porto’s 4-1 win over Lazio in the UEFA Cup semi-final first leg in April 2003, Mourinho grabbed the shirt of Lazio’s Lucas Castroman and pulled him over as he was about to take a throw-in.

UEFA fined him and banished him to the stands for the second leg in Rome. Forbidden from communicating with his players during the game and scrutinised by UEFA officials, Mourinho simply devised a way of getting round the ban.

Flanked by two assistants with laptops, they simply typed his instructions into the computer and transmitted them to two other assistants at pitchside.