UEFA charges Jose Mourinho and players; Real Madrid ‘surprised’.
Spanish giants, Real Madrid published a statement on their website yesterday, in response to the UEFA charge brought against the club concerning the controversial incidents that took place in the UEFA Champions League match against Ajax on 23rd
November. Madrid went on to win the match that was played away from home, in the Amsterdam Arena, despite incurring two red cards.
The players who saw red were Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos, both of who were booked for time-wasting when shown the second yellow by Scottish referee Craig Thomson. Alonso was given his marching orders on the 87th minute and Ramos on the 90th
minute. By acquiring the red cards, the two Spaniards ‘wiped their slate clean’ and would be banned for the upcoming match against French team, Auxerre. Jose’s men have already booked their place in the next knockout stage of the Champions League competition
by the win over Ajax and top their Group G with thirteen points.
The last match against Auxerre will hold little significance for the Spanish team, and the team has faced allegations by UEFA, that Alonso and Ramos were told to deliberately incur their sending off and miss their last group match, rather than starting the
round-of-sixteen with their yellows cards staining their disciplinary records. Had Ramos and Alonso carried their yellows to the next round, they would perhaps face the risk of seeing red in a more important match as opposed to the ‘obligatory’ fixture to
be played on the 8th of December.
The claim against Real Madrid boss Mourinho, accuses the Portuguese of sending an order through the reserve goal keeper Jerzy Dudek, who went and relayed the message to Iker Casillas that the two Spaniards carrying the yellows should get themselves sent
off by time-wasting. The investigation is to be carried out over the four players, Ramos, Alonso, Casillas and Dudek and manager Mourinho. UEFA’s official statement reads : “"UEFA has confirmed that a disciplinary case has been opened against Real Madrid for
the improper conduct of coach Jose Mourinho and players Xabi Alonso, Sergio Ramos, Iker Casillas and Jerzy Dudek during the UEFA Champions League Group G match against AFC Ajax in Amsterdam on Tuesday."
Real Madrid published a statement on their website, in response to the charge : "Real Madrid expresses its surprise for such a decision, as it understands it does not follow the content of UEFA's Disciplinary Regulations." After the match, Sergio Ramos spoke
to the media about his dismissal, describing it as unnecessary. The right-back claims that he was looking to squander the remaining time after Alonso’s red, and that he was not looking for the red. He said “The referee, knowing what would happen when he booked
me, could have kept his card.”
The Real Madrid faithful can be forgiven for thinking that the UEFA crackdown on their club is needless, seeing as the red cards did not in any way affect the final outcome of the match, goal-wise. Opponents of the night, Ajax were certainly not put at a
disadvantage, and the red cards to the Real players would only affect their own club and no other team. The (unconfirmed) decision by the manager to get the Spanish midfielder and defender sent off can be described as tactical genius instead of cheating. Mourinho
is often described by fans and foes as the master of tactics, and if he can use the rules to his own benefit by turning a disadvantage into an advantage, then perhaps (critics argue) the UEFA body should review their rules instead of condemning Real Madrid.
Perhaps it should not be Real to bear the brunt of the charge, as the referee could have simply added more time on at the end instead of swiftly showing the red card.
Jorge Valdano, the Real Madrid director of football, has suggested that it is UEFA who should be accused of ‘unfair play’, as there have been innumerable decisions made by the football governing body that have not been as harsh as those Real Madrid faces,
concerning similar incidents by other clubs and players. He explained "What happens at Real Madrid also happens at other clubs, but they (UEFA) are not as severe." Real Madrid’s next match is against rivals Barcelona on Monday the 29th, in the Spanish
Primera Liga.
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