UEFA to hear Mourinho appeal Friday
Reuters - Thursday 28 July 2011, 10:29
BERNE - Real Madrid coach Jose
Mourinho's appeal against his five-match touchline ban will be
heard at UEFA's headquarters on Friday.
European football's ruling body said the Portuguese would
attend the hearing. Real are attempting to reduce the sanction
which followed his sending-off in the turbulent semi-final first
leg Champions League match at home to Barcelona last season.
Mourinho, who was also banned for "an inappropriate
statement" after his team's 2-0 defeat at the Bernabeu, said he
was not bothered by the hearing.
"For me, it is not an important appointment," he told the
sports daily Marca. "I want to arrive in Madrid before five
o'clock in the evening to train my team."
Mourinho, who served the first match of his ban in the
return leg against eventual champions Barcelona, was also fined
50,000 euros.
The fifth match of his ban has been suspended for a
probationary period of three years.
Referring to Barcelona's controversial semi-final win at
Chelsea in 2009, the Portuguese had said: [Coach] Josep
Guardiola is a fantastic football coach but he has won one
Champions League which would embarrass me after the scandalous
goings on at Stamford Bridge.
"This year if he wins it again it will be after the
scandalous goings on at the Bernabeu.
"I don't know if it's the UNICEF (United Nations Children's
Fund) publicity," added Mourinho referring to the logo that used
to appear on Barca's shirts.
"I don't know if it's because they are so nice but they have
got great power. The rest of us have no chance."