Chelsea Reportedly Angry Jose Mourinho's FA Judgment Was Chaired by Arsenal Fan
Chelsea are reportedly unhappy that the Football Association commission that levied manager Jose Mourinho with a hefty fine was chaired by sports lawyer Nicholas Stewart QC, an Arsenal supporter.
The FA confirmed Stewart’s attendance at the hearing in a document on its official website outlining the reasons for the sanctions. According to Charles Sale of the Daily Mail, his influence in determining Mourinho’s punishment has not gone down well with those at Stamford Bridge.
“No one questions Stewart’s integrity or legal expertise,” wrote Sale. “But his involvement in cases involving Arsenal’s major Premier League rivals has caused problems before. In 2009, Sir Alex Ferguson was furious that he sat in judgment when Patrice Evra received a four-match ban.”
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As reported in the article, Mourinho has picked up a £50,000 fine and a suspended one-match stadium ban after he claimed referee Robert Madley was “afraid” to award a penalty to Chelsea during their 3-1 loss to Southampton earlier this month.
In the piece it’s claimed the lawyer is a “well-known” fan of the Gunners and a “regular visitor to the Emirates Stadium.” Sale suggested a spokesperson from the Football Association has confirmed all members of the three-person committee “had been approved by the Professional Game Board, which is made up of club representatives.”
It’s not been the best beginning to the season for Chelsea by any means, with the Blues struggling to put together any consistency in their opening games. However, as noted by Bleacher Report’s Garry Hayes, the players do seem behind their manager, as was evident in a committed performance during a 0-0 draw against Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League on Tuesday night:
The tensions between Chelsea and Arsenal have been festering ever since the two teams met in the Premier League last month.
The Blues won the match 2-0 in controversial circumstances, as Gabriel Paulista was sent off in the first half following perceived provocation from Chelsea striker Diego Costa. The forward was given a three-match ban retrospectively for his conduct, while the Arsenal man had his suspension for violent conduct rescinded.
Mourinho has taken swipes at Gunners boss Arsene Wenger since, claiming he is the only manager who is allowed to speak about referees after the game without punishment.
The Frenchman was not reprimanded for using the words “weak” and “naive” to describe the performance of referee Mike Dean following the aforementioned loss to Chelsea. It's phrasing that was mirrored by the Portuguese after he felt the Blues should have been awarded a penalty during their game against Dynamo, per Sami Mokbel of the MailOnline.
