Barca to discuss Mourinho outburst

Barcelona have confirmed a board meeting will be held later today as the club consider action against Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho last night implied the Catalan giants receive favourable treatment from referees and claimed the club had yet to win a “clean” Champions League title under Pep Guardiola.

The outburst came shortly after Guardiola’s side won 2-0 at the Bernabeu in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final with the Portuguese particularly angry at the dismissal of makeshift midfielder Pepe for a challenge on Dani Alves.

A statement on www.fcbarcelona.com this morning read: “There will be an ’extraordinary’ meeting of the board at 1700 (local time) to discuss the action to be taken after the events of the Bernabeu.

“Later there will be a press conference at 1900.

“At the press conference after the game, Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho harshly criticised referee Wolfgang Stark and suggested Barcelona receive favourable treatment.

“The legal services of FC Barcelona are considering reporting the Real Madrid coach to the disciplinary commission of UEFA.”

Last night, Mourinho said: “Today it’s clear that against Barcelona you have no chance.

“I don’t understand why. I don’t know if it’s the publicity of UNICEF (the club’s shirt sponsor), I don’t know if it’s the friendship of (Spanish football federation president Angel Maria) Villar at UEFA, where he is vice-president, I don’t know if it’s because they are very nice, but they have got this power.

“The rest of us have no chance.”

He added: “Guardiola is a fantastic coach, but he has won one Champions League which I would be ashamed to win after the scandal at Stamford Bridge and this year, if he wins it again, it will be after the scandal at the Bernabeu.

“I hope that one day he will win a clean Champions League, with no incidents behind it.”

Barca skipper Xavi felt the visitors’ more adventurous approach had paid off with Lionel Messi grabbing two late goals to put them in the driving seat ahead of the return at the Nou Camp.

He told www.sport.es: “Football won. Justice has been done.

“The only team who wanted to play and go out to attack was us. The result was fair. It never entered my head to do what Madrid did. Barca wouldn’t allow it.

“I don’t want to talk of Mourinho. I want to talk of Barca, we were better and played a great game.

“Pepe’s sending-off was right, it was a challenge that cannot be allowed. It was ugly and could have caused damage. It’s a red card.”

That view was not shared by Madrid’s Xabi Alonso.

Alonso told TeleMadrid: “Pepe’s dismissal changed the game.

“We prepare for games like this all season and the referee has got it wrong.

“I am biased but I did not think it was a red card.”

Cristiano Ronaldo echoed Mourinho’s suggestions of unfair play.

The former Manchester United man said: “I do not understand why everyone playing against them (Barcelona) in the Champions League ends with 10 men: Arsenal, Chelsea…

“It is not an excuse but playing with 10 is very different to playing with 11.”

On-loan Madrid striker Emmanuel Adebayor felt Barca were guilty of play-acting all night.

He said in remarks reported by the BBC: “Maybe Pepe committed a foul but I don’t think it was a red card.

“Whenever you play against Barca, whenever you touch them they are on the floor crying like a baby.

“I have played three games against Barcelona and each time we have had to play with 10 men.

“Everyone talks about Barcelona and their fair play but I think they are very far away from fair play.

“Whenever you make contact when going for a one-on-one or 50-50 ball they are on the floor crying, putting their hand up near their face.

“Their manager, fans and the players on the bench are always crying. Barcelona is a fantastic club, has fantastic players, but they have to stop that.”