Chelsea
manager Jose Mourinho has told
Sky Sports that Nemanja Matic is
lucky Ashley Barnes' tackle didn't end his career.
Barnes appeared to catch the midfielder just below the knee with a challenge
during Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.
Matic was sent off for his reaction as he pushed Barnes to the floor, but,
speaking during an impromtpu appeareance on
Goals on Sunday,
Mourinho said: “Matic is a very lucky guy because it could have been the end
of his career. I don’t know but I think so.
“I cannot find the words to describe what the player did and I can clearly
understand because football is about emotions and sometimes you lose the
emotions.
“Clearly Matic had a reason to lose his emotions. What could be the
consequence of Matic’s push for the other player? Nothing. One second later
he stands. The consequence for Matic could have been the end of his career.”
Mourinho felt the incident was worse than Phil Bardsley’s recent tackle on
Eden Hazard at Stoke and reiterated his belief that decisions this season
have gone against his team.
“Yesterday I was so calm in the press conference just trying to speak in an
honest but controlled way, but my players are not getting the respect they
deserve,” he said.
“I cannot go too far but the reality is that the incidents I am speaking
about week after week are because they are week after week.
“I know football is football and in football you don’t have it always but I
think it’s too much. My players don’t deserve that.
“At Southampton, the penalty transformed the game with the free-kick and the
yellow card to Cesc Fabregas. The penalty against Tottenham, the handball
with (Jan) Vertonghen. Against Liverpool, red cards for them.
“I know being a referee is so difficult. Sometimes I referee something in a
training session and normally I say to the assistants you do it because I
don’t want to do it. I know it’s difficult but there are situations that are
not open to interpretation. It’s clear.”
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