Chelsea’s manager, José Mourinho, has been given a suspended one-match stadium ban and fined £50,000 (€68,000) after suggesting that referees are “afraid to give decisions to Chelsea”.

Mourinho pleaded guilty to an English Football Association charge of misconduct after making the remarks following Chelsea's defeat by Southampton on October 3rd. He was furious that Robert Madley did not award a penalty when Maarten Stekelenburg darted off his line and made contact with Radamel Falcao in the box.

The FA said that Mourinho’s ban would be immediately invoked should he be found guilty before October 13th, 2016, of another breach of its rules relating to comments made to or through the media.

This is his fourth such sanction since returning to English football in 2013, with the total paid in fines standing at £93,000 ( €125,000).

Mourinho said after the Southampton game: "I think, first of all, I want to say that because we are in such a bad moment you should not be afraid to be honest. When we are at the top, there is quite big pleasure in putting us down. But when you are so down, I think it is time to be honest and say clearly that referees are afraid to give decisions to Chelsea. "

He added: “At 1-1, there is a huge penalty and, once more, we do not get it – it was at a crucial moment in the game.

“I repeat, if the FA wants to punish me, they can punish me; it is not a problem. But I want to repeat, because my players deserve it, Chelsea fans deserve it. I am a Chelsea fan too.

“I want to say again that referees are afraid to give decisions to Chelsea. Why? Because when they do give, there is always a question mark from you, there is always a critic. So we are always punished.”

The FA said in a statement announcing the punishment that it was “alleged [Mourinho’s] remarks constituted improper conduct in that they alleged and/or implied bias on the part of a match official or match officials and/or brought the game into disrepute”. Guardian Service