Jose Mourinho's 'Chelsea Campaign' Given Credence After Nemanja Matic Red Card

STAMFORD BRIDGE, LONDON — There was only one place to start for Jose Mourinho when he stepped out for his post-match press conference after Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Burnley: Nemanja Matic's red card.

It was the moment that changed the complexion of this game, giving Burnley the impetus to claw their way back into contention and snatch an unexpected point.

Chelsea hadn't been great up to that stage of the game, but they had asserted control, and leading 1-0, it seemed the game was going to end only one way.

Then came the fireworks, as Matic reacted to a horror challenge from Ashley Barnes, chasing after the Clarets' frontman before he was dismissed.

Barnes wasn't booked for his tackle, so given its severity, we can only assume referee Martin Atkinson didn't see it.

Matic certainly felt it, though, and Chelsea ultimately paid a big price by losing the Serbian with 20 minutes remaining. Not only that, he will also miss next weekend's Capital One Cup final against Tottenham Hotspur as a result.

"Compare Diego's crimes with what happened today," Mourinho said, feeling rightly hard done by.

He was referencing the alleged stamp by Diego Costa on Liverpool's Emre Can in January, which saw the striker receive a three-match ban.

Julian Finney/Getty Images

Mourinho felt it became a trial by media for Costa, that the incident was amplified with constant TV replays and calls from pundits for him to be banned, which he eventually was.

Now one of his own players was on the receiving end of something far worse, Mourinho finds it's Chelsea who are still the club losing out.

Will there be a similar media reaction?

The Chelsea boss has discussed a "campaign" against his club this season, and with Barnes being let off the hook the way he was, you can start to feel his frustration.

It wasn't the only talking point in the game, either. On the half-hour mark, Michael Kightly seemed to block a Branislav Ivanovic shot with his arm, which would have resulted in a penalty and possible red card for deliberate handball.

"Minute 69 [when Matic was sent off] has a big relation with minute 30," Mourinho continued.

"Normally, the player—if I can call him a player—that was involved in minute 69 was involved in minute 30, is normally minute 31 should be in the shower.

"[There would be] no minute 69 if the person in charge does it in the proper way in minute 30."

Talk of minutes and which player did what slightly confused Mourinho's point, which is that the game should have been over as a contest if Martin Atkinson did his job.

To rub salt in the wound, Costa was denied a penalty shortly before the interval when he was shoved to the ground inside the box by Jason Shackell.

Mourinho was later asked if Chelsea would appeal against Matic's impending suspension.

"Have you ever seen Chelsea win an appeal?" he responded. "I don't remember."

In isolation, this game could be taken simply as one of those days every team suffers at the hands of bad luck or poor officiating.

It is said that things even themselves out over the course of the season, yet for Chelsea, it is difficult to be feeling like that right now.

They've had players banned, penalties denied and results directly impacted on the back of it.

With Manchester City closing the gap to five points after they thrashed Newcastle United a few hours after Chelsea's draw, this is another case of the title race being affected by much more than football.

If we total up the points Chelsea have dropped on the back of incidents when the outcome of matches has been decided by refereeing decisions, they would be out of sight by now.

Paul Gilham/Getty Images

That City remain in the race for first is more to do with what's happening elsewhere than their own ability to win football matches.

It's still somewhat far-fetched to think the footballing world is against Chelsea, but as the incidents stack up, Mourinho's theory becomes stronger.

Matic was foolish to behave the way he did, and Chelsea will now pay the price by missing him in vital matches.

If things carry on as they are, it could get far worse.

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes