Mourinho calls for Vidic ban

Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho believes Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic should sit out both legs of the Champions League…

Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho believes Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic should sit out both legs of the Champions League last-16 tie between the two sides following his dismissal in December's Fifa Club World Cup final.

Vidic saw red in the December 21st match against Liga Deportiva Universitaria, which United won 1-0, after appearing to swing an elbow at opposition striker Claudio Bieler.

The Serbian centre-back does not yet know how many matches he will miss as a result of his actions, with Uefa still to decide on the length of any punishment.

Vidic will almost certainly miss the world champions' trip to the San Siro for the first leg of the Champions League tie on February 24, but Mourinho believes that would not be punishment enough.

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The former Chelsea boss told Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport: "I'd be surprised if Vidic didn't get at least two matches — which wouldn't even be much for a gesture like that, during a match seen by the whole world."

Mourinho, who will lock horns with Alex Ferguson five years on from knocking United out of the Champions League at the same stage when coach of Porto, added that he felt Wayne Rooney had been fortunate to avoid a ban for an incident in the group stages.

Rooney appeared to stand on the chest of Aalborg's Kasper Risgard during the 2-2 draw at Old Trafford on December 10 but avoided punishment after the incident was reviewed by Uefa.

"I don't like the fact that in football there are different standards. I was amazed that Rooney was not suspended," Mourinho said.