Mourinho charged by FA following Cardiff sending off
THE Football Association have charged Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho with improper conduct following his behaviour during Saturday’s 4-1 win over Cardiff.
Mourinho, who will oversee his team’s Champions League trip to Schalke tonight, was sent away from the manager’s dugout at Stamford Bridge after complaining to referee Anthony Taylor about what he perceived to be persistent time wasting.
The Portuguese boss has until 24 October to respond to the charge, but will put domestic strife behind him to prepare for tonight’s trip to Gelsenkirchen.
Mourinho believes his side does not have to win in Schalke in order to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages, despite already trailing the Group E leaders by three points.
“I don’t think it’s yet time to have the calculator and to be counting the number of points you need to qualify, to be first or second or go to Europa League,” he said. “I think that comes on the fifth fixture. The third and fourth are fixtures you can play just thinking about the game, trying to win and if not trying to get a point, but basically, to play without that pressure of the calculator.”
Schalke, on a run of eight wins from their last 10 matches, will be without striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and midfielder Marco Hoger.
Mourinho has midfielder Andre Schurrle available again, but left-back Ashley Cole is sidelined with a rib injury.
Striker Samuel Eto’o could continue to spearhead the attack after netting his first Chelsea goal since joining from Anzhi Makhachkala at the weekend.
The Cameroon striker also assisted the controversial opener when he dispossessed Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall, as the stopper bounced the ball, before Eden Hazard slotted in.
Mourinho accepts the goal should not have been awarded, though has called for a change to the rules.
“Samuel did an intelligent action,” he said. “In this moment [world governing body] Fifa says it’s a foul, then it’s a foul, but I think Samuel did well.
“Maybe the referee did wrong, I don’t know, but in my opinion that should be allowed, as it was for many years.”
SCHALKE STATS
Current form
Won eight of their last 10 matches in all competitions. Are fifth in the Bundesliga – nine points behind leaders Bayern Munich
Germany v England
Unbeaten in home matches against English clubs
Chelsea curse
Midfielder Kevin Prince Boateng played three times against Chelsea during spells with Spurs and Portsmouth, losing them all