The Blues’ manager was recently sent to the stands at half-time during the game against West Ham, which Chelsea lost in the capital 2-1.
Advertisement
The outspoken Portuguese had already been handed a one-match stadium suspension, meaning he will miss Saturday’s Premier League game at Stoke City, and a fine of 40,000 pounds ($60,188) for his behaviour at Upton Park.
When asked whether he considered a further appeal of his latest FA punishment he stated: “No. I knew the outcome of the appeal, so I chose to give up”.
“It’s stupid to fight a fight that you know you’ll already lose”, he added, having come under intense pressure this season with Chelsea now a lowly 15th in the 20-team Premier League. At this moment, I am stopped not just to do my work, but from going to a football stadium and being at something I like so much.
“Well, you can imagine that is not easy”. Because against West Ham the referee told me not to be on the bench in the second half, but nobody told me to leave the stadium.
He will serve that ban this weekend and will be unable to attend his side’s Saturday Night Football game against Stoke at the Britannia Stadium.
He also revealed his unorthodox plans for how he would follow the match, per BBC Sport’s Matt Parratt and Saj Chowdhury: “I have no plans [to watch]”.
“I have sat down with my staff and created extreme scenarios to prepare them for the match and the subs”.
Under FA rules, Mourinho is allowed to travel with the squad to their hotel and speak to his players, but is not allowed to have contact with them once they have left for the match.
And Mourinho said: “I think the message that the powers want to give me … is more than clear”.
A bristly Mourinho refused to confirm at his Friday news conference whether he had indeed defied a stadium ban in 2005 by hiding in a laundry basket during a Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich. I have to get off the bus before (we reach the stadium).
“Whether the FA have things in place I don’t know but I’d be very surprised if they haven’t”.
Advertisement
Mourinho failed with an appeal against a separate charge which he picked up after the comments he made in his post-game interview after the loss to Southampton.
