FA explain José Mourinho’s suspended stadium ban

The English FA imposed a suspended one-match stadium ban on José Mourinho for suggesting referees were afraid to award decisions in Chelsea’s favour after determining a fine would not be “a reliable deterrent” to dissuade the Portuguese from making similar improper comments in future.

The FA published the written reasons for fining Mourinho £50,000 and handing him the potential stadium ban yesterday evening with a three-man regulatory commission – made up of Nicholas Stewart QC, Chris Reeves and Paul Raven – having decided the Chelsea manager had questioned the integrity of the referee, Robert Madley, with his comments after the 3-1 home loss on 3 October.

Big penalty

Their reasoning centred upon one quote in particular given in a BBC television interview in which, when asked about Maarten Stekelenburg’s clash with Radamel Falcao, he said: “Be honest with us and give what you have to give, and it’s a big penalty.”

Previous improper conduct charges brought against the Portuguese since he returned to the Premier League in 2013 also swayed their judgment when it came to the level of sanction, with Mourinho having now been hit with fines worth a combined £101,000 in a little over two seasons.

The manager, who is appealing against the punishment, suggested the £50,000 fine was “a disgrace” last week and branded the prospect of a stadium ban “absolutely astonishing” with the FA seeking to clarify why it had taken that option.

“It appears to us that increasing levels of fine are not on their own going to be a reliable deterrent for Mr Mourinho against improper comments to the media,” the written reasons added.

“We have in mind particularly that the more than doubling of the January 2015 fine [following comments about a ‘campaign’ against his side] as compared with the May 2014 fine [when he was punished for sarcastic comments after a home loss to Sunderland] has not deterred him from this latest and more serious breach.

“In our judgment the fair way to impose this deterrent is to suspend the ban so that Mr Mourinho is able quite easily to avoid its ever coming into effect. The matter is in his hands. All he has to do is refrain from any further breach by media comments for the next 12 months, whereupon the ban will expire completely.”

Stand-out performer

Meanwhile, Mourinho refused to say whether Eden Hazard will return to Chelsea’s starting line-up for tonight’s Champions League Group G clash at Dynamo Kiev.

Mourinho was critical of Hazard, the stand-out performer in last season’s Barclays Premier League triumph, after leaving the Belgium playmaker on the substitutes’ bench for last Saturday’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa.

And the Blues boss declined to reveal if Hazard, who has been told to up his work rate, will start at the NSK Olimpiysky as Chelsea seek to respond from defeat at Porto in their most recent Champions League game.

“If he plays tomorrow I don’t tell you. The players don’t know,” Mourinho said.

Mourinho has left forwards Pedro and Loic Remy behind due to minor injuries, increasing the likelihood Hazard will return to the starting XI.

Chelsea must at least avoid defeat in the first of two successive games with Dynamo to enhance their chances of advancing in the Champions League.

Kiev have lost just one of their last 10 European home games, recording seven wins, though.

“We need to win matches,” Mourinho said. “We just want to win the next match. We need to win points in Champions League to qualify. The point is improve results, at the same time improve our game, improve our confidence.

Guardian Service