Branislav Ivanovic has been spared a English Football Association charge following his alleged headbutt on Everton’s James McCarthy on Wednesday night but there remains anger at Chelsea over how they feel their player was tried by the media.
Chelsea manager José Mourinho believes there is a “campaign” against his club and this latest flashpoint has done nothing to disabuse him of the notion.
He and other members of staff at Chelsea were disappointed at Roberto Martínez’s post-match comments, in which the Everton manager said that Ivanovic’s “behaviour is wrong” and that he deserved to be sent off. “He grabs him around the neck in a forceful manner, then puts his head against him when James McCarthy didn’t react,” Martínez said.
Chelsea have also been furious at the Sky Sports News coverage of the incident, alleging that it has been one-sided. They were unhappy, for example, that the channel did not dwell on their contention that McCarthy had stepped on Ivanovic’s foot, just before he leaned in towards the Everton player.
They have also questioned Martínez’s assertion that the Ireland international was an entirely innocent party, when he had run over to enter the melee which followed the second yellow card for Everton’s Gareth Barry. The FA has charged both clubs with failing to control their players.
Speak for themselves
Everton believe that the pictures speak for themselves and McCarthy was the victim of a headbutt by Ivanovic in a game that they lost 1-0 to Willian’s last-minute goal. But an FA panel, to which the matter was referred on Thursday after the referee, Jon Moss, admitted that he had not seen the incident, disagreed. Consequently, Ivanovic avoided further action.
The FA has brought 54 successful retrospective charges for Premier League players since 2004-05, when its system for dealing with incidents that were unseen at the time by match officials was introduced. Arsenal, Manchester City and Newcastle United have had the most, with six apiece, while Chelsea have had four.
Diego Costa was the most recent, for his stamp on Liverpool’s Emre Cam last month – which has fired Mourinho’s current complex – while Ramires was brought to book last season for an elbow on Sunderland’s Sebastian Larsson. Ivanovic was punished in 2011-12 following an off-the-ball clash with Wigan Athletic’s Shaun Maloney and Didier Drogba was sanctioned in 2008-09 for throwing a coin back at Burnley supporters.
The FA only brings retrospective charges when it sees the offence as being clear-cut. It reviews many hundreds of cases – such as this latest one with Ivanovic – in which it deems charges to be inappropriate.
New contract
Meanwhile Eden Hazard has signed a new five-and-a-half-year contract at Stamford Bridge.
Hazard joined Chelsea from Lille in June 2012 and has since made a total 147 appearances for the Blues, scoring 43 goals.
“I am very happy to sign a new contract with Chelsea,” Hazard said. “Since I came here in 2012 I have always felt good and the club has been very supportive to me.
“I always try to give pleasure to the supporters with my style of play and it is nice to know they appreciate my work.”
Hazard was voted Chelsea’s player of the year last season and Mourinho believes he has evolved into one of the world’s best attacking talents and there is more to come.
“He is already a top player and his evolution has been fantastic. He is still very young and he can become the best,” the Portuguese said.
