Chelsea F.C. manager Jose Mourinho has revealed a ‘campaign’ is being waged against his team after the Blues were denied a penalty against Southampton on Sunday.
PFA Players’ Player of the Year candidate Cesc Fabregas, who joined Chelsea from Barcelona in a deal reportedly worth around €33 million, believed he won a penalty for the Blues after he went down following a challenge from Matt Targett on 55 minutes, but nothing was given.
Instead, referee Anthony Mason booked Fabregas for simulation, and Chelsea had to settle for a 1-1 draw.
When asked about the incident during his postmatch news conference, Mourinho said: “I think this is a result of something that looks like a campaign.
“In other countries this is front-page news because it’s an absolute scandal.
“In the first match [against Burnley], Diego [Costa] was booked when it should have been a penalty and a red card for their player. A few months later, we lose two points in a match when the penalty is there and Fabregas gets a yellow card. We have had bad yellow cards.
“After the game against West Ham [on Boxing Day], in a game that finished 2-0 and could have been four or five, Enner Valencia made a bad dive and all I hear at the end is an incident with Branislav Ivanovic. What is this?
“I do not make campaigns and this is not against me — this is against Chelsea. Against Chelsea, yes. In the last couple of weeks, the two most important things in my matches in my opinion: Filipe Luis and Eden Hazard could be now in hospital with broken legs. And people speak about Gary Cahill [diving] against Hull City.”
But Mourinho did not stop there. He also questioned Manchester City’s second goal against Crystal Palace and Newcastle’s penalty claim at Old Trafford earlier this week.
“Today we have a crucial decision against two good teams in a very tight match where there is not many chances and the referee makes a wrong decision again,” added the Portuguese.
“There are incidents in matches when we can have a different opinion, but there are others when everyone has the same opinion. I don’t need to speak about this because everyone knows [it was a penalty]. The referee made a mistake, a big mistake. He assumed that decision.
“He is a very good referee, he is a good guy. He is young. He has years and years of football ahead of him and this was a big mistake, but life goes on. Why don’t people speak about this?
“You also forget other things — Man City vs. Crystal Palace, goal is not offside and you don’t speak a lot about it. Manchester United vs. Newcastle, there should be a penalty and a red card for [Juan] Mata, but you don’t speak about it.
“I don’t know, I don’t care. Chelsea is playing very well since the beginning of the season. That is the only thing I concentrate on. We are top of the league because we deserve it and it is a consequence of what we did. I am so happy with my players.”
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