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Monday 2 May 2011

UEFA have rejected Real Madrid and Barcelona complaints

UEFA have rejected both Real Madrid and Barcelona complaints made following last week's ill-tempered Champions League tie.
Madrid announced last Thursday evening that they were reporting the Spanish champions to UEFA for "unsportsmanlike behaviour" - soon after Barca confirmed they were reporting the capital club's coach Jose Mourinho for his post-match comments following the visitors' 2-0 semi-final first leg win at the Bernabeu.
UEFA's disciplinary committee will on Friday examine five charges against Madrid - including one relating to Mourinho's sending-off and another in regard to his post-match comments - and one charge against Barca following substitute goalkeeper Jose Pinto's red card during a half-time melee.
However, European football's governing body has announced that no new charges will be levelled at either club.
A UEFA statement read: "UEFA has announced today that the vice-chairman of the UEFA control and disciplinary body, as a judge sitting alone, has rejected both the protests lodged by Real Madrid CF and the complaint made by FC Barcelona following the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg between the two clubs last Wednesday.
"The protests lodged by Madrid, against the behaviour of the Barcelona players during the match and against the red card shown to Pepe, are rejected.
"In the case of the behaviour of the Barcelona players, it was deemed that there was no common strategy to provoke, while in the case of Pepe, the referee's factual decision is upheld. As a result, Pepe is suspended for the second leg on Tuesday."
Mourinho, who was sent off after protesting against the red card shown to Madrid defender Pepe midway through the second half, said after the match: "Today it's clear that against Barcelona you have no chance.
"I don't understand why. I don't know if it's the publicity of UNICEF [the club's shirt sponsor], I don't know if it's the friendship of [Spanish football federation president Angel Maria] Villar at UEFA, where he is vice-president, I don't know if it's because they are very nice, but they have got this power. The rest of us have no chance.
"[Barca coach Pep] Guardiola is a fantastic coach, but he has won one Champions League which I would be ashamed to win after the scandal at Stamford Bridge and this year, if he wins it again, it will be after the scandal at the Bernabeu."
Following an extraordinary board meeting at the Catalan club on Thursday afternoon, spokesman Toni Freixa said Barca "want to defend the history, prestige and reputation of our members, fans, players, coaches and directors, who with their hard work and their effort succeeded in winning the Champions League in 2009".
He added: "It's unacceptable that someone questions our titles and our links with UNICEF."
UEFA's statement on Monday continued: "The complaint lodged by Barcelona, against the comments made by Madrid coach Jose Mourinho to the press, was also rejected by the vice-chairman of the control and disciplinary body.
"In this instance, Barcelona have been referred to the proceedings already brought against Mr Mourinho, which will be heard by the control and disciplinary body on Friday, May 6.
"No new disciplinary proceedings are therefore to be opened against Mr Mourinho on the basis of the complaint lodged by Barcelona.
"Both the above decisions are open to appeal within three days of the dispatch of the contested decisions."
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