UEFA officially announces it will investigate Real Madrid for their conduct in Champions League match against Ajax
UEFA confirmed on Thursday 25 November that it will launch a formal investigation into the conduct of Real Madrid in the wake of their 4-0 Champions League win over Ajax on Tuesday which saw two players sent off for time wasting. UEFA's control and disciplinary
body is set to meet on Tuesday 30 November and will report their findings.
The incident in question involves the sending off of Real Madrid's Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos which many believe was done deliberately in order to wipe away their card record ahead of the knockout stages of the tournament. Real Madrid's final round robin
match against French side Auxerre is a meaningless one as Real Madrid have already qualified at the top of their group.
There is a precedent for intentionally attempting to obtain a suspension in order to avoid a meaningless match. Cris and Juninho Pernambucano were both fined 15000 euros and 10000 euros respectively when they were purposely cautioned in a Champions League
match against Fiorentina while playing for Lyon.
The statement also confirmed that it will not only investigate the two players who were sent off, but
goalkeepers Iker Casillas and Jerzy Dudek, along with coach Jose Mourinho, will be investigated as well as pictures appear to show Mourinho passing on instructions to the duo via Dudek and Casillas.
Both Alonso and Sergio Ramos deny any wrong doing, and Mourinho was not letting on that there was any information sent from the bench to the players. Mourinho, instead, was particularly critical of referee Craig Thompson who handed out some soft yellow
cards earlier in the match in Mourinho's opinion.
"I spoke with many players throughout the game, not only with Ramos and Alonso. Stories sell, but the important thing is the 4-0 win and the fantastic game we had. Let's talk about that and not other things," Mourinho told reporters after the match. "The
sendings-off came after an easy game where the referee has shown some strange yellows. They are cards that I don't like. It was an easy game to control. Ajax made a lot of fouls and in the first from Ramos he was shown a yellow card."
The conduct of Madrid has already brought about criticism from other managers around Europe. Arsenal's Arsene Wenger was even quoted recently by reporters as saying, "Yes, I think there should be sanctions. I do not want to see that, it's a pity to see that
from a big club and, overall, when you see that it gives a bad image of our game – what we don't want. I respect Real Madrid for their quality and for what they are doing but, whether it's them or somebody else, you don't want to see that on the football pitch."
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