Real Madrid pair Sergio & Xabi's 'deliberate red cards' being investigated by Uefa

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Real Madrid pair Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso's 'deliberate red cards' being investigated by Uefa

Uefa is studying the match referee's report from Real Madrid's Champions League tie with Ajax before deciding whether to charge Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos for appearing to pick up intentional red cards. <object height="505" width="640">

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By Emily Benammar 11:53AM GMT 24 Nov 2010

Alonso and Ramos both collected second cautions for timewasting late in Real's 4-0 win at the Amsterdam Arena.

Neither player protested the red cards and Ramos even shook hands with Scottish referee Craig Thomson before walking off the pitch. "We didn't go looking for the cards," Ramos said. "Seeing what the score was, the referee could have saved them. But he sent me off and that's that." They will serve one-match suspensions in a meaningless final group match against Auxerre next month, then could start the Champions League knock-out rounds in February with a clean disciplinary slate. Madrid is assured of winning Group G and advancing with second-placed AC Milan.

Uefa said its disciplinary unit will look at the incidents after receiving Thomson's official report. Dutch broadcaster NOS showed footage of Madrid coach Jose Mourinho speaking to Alonso on the sidelines before he picked up his second yellow. Mourinho also spoke on the bench with reserve goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek who seemed to then pass on a message to 'keeper Iker Casillas, before Ramos was sent off.

"Dudek was asking me about my stomach problems," said Casillas, the captain of Madrid and World Cup winner Spain. "I told Ramos to keep an eye on one of their strikers, who was a constant threat inside the area." In Uefa's disciplinary code, article 10 allows for suspensions of more than one match in cases of unsporting conduct. Mourinho dismissed the idea that he had orchestrated the bookings.

"I spoke with many players throughout the game, not only with Ramos and Alonso," Mourinho said. "Stories sell, but the important thing is the 4-0 win and the fantastic game we had. Let's talk about that and not other things." Previous cases of players deliberately seeking cautions to manipulate the timing of suspensions have involved David Beckham and Australia captain Lucas Neill.

Beckham was England captain when he intentionally committed a yellow-card foul against Wales in a World Cup qualifier played in October 2004. He later explained he'd sustained a rib injury which he knew would sideline him for the next match, so wanted his second caution of the qualifying program allowing him to serve the one-match ban while hurt.

Fifa President Sepp Blatter described Beckham's action as "disappointing because it is not the behaviour that befits an ambassador of football and fair play." Neill admitted getting a yellow card against Qatar in a June 2009 World Cup qualifier so he could serve a ban immediately and not risk carrying it into the finals in South Africa.

 

[Dodomeki]

Re: Real Madrid pair Sergio & Xabi's 'deliberate red cards' being investigated by Uef


Real Madrid face fine as Uefa investigates suspicious red cards for Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso

Real Madrid could be fined if a Uefa investigation into the dismissals of Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos in their Champions League win against Ajax finds that the players deliberately incurred red cards to clear their disciplinary records ahead of the knockout phase.

Bizarre: Sergio Ramos is sent off by referee Craig Thomson after his second booking, for wasting time when his side were leading 4-0 Photo: REUTERS

By Rory Smith 9:06PM GMT 24 Nov 2010

The Spain internationals both earned a second booking for time-wasting in the dying stages of Tuesday night’s 4-0 victory in Amsterdam — which secured top spot in Group G for Jose Mourinho’s team. They now miss the meaningless final game against Auxerre, rather than going into the last 16 just one yellow card away from suspension.

Uefa confirmed yesterday that it was aware of the incidents and has instructed disciplinary officials to investigate before deciding whether to charge the Spanish side under Article 5.1 — dealing with loyalty, integrity and sportsmanship – of European football’s governing body’s regulations.

“The Uefa disciplinary services are still looking at the match reports so there is no decision on possible disciplinary cases yet,” Uefa said in a statement.

Precedent suggests that, under Uefa rules, both players could be fined and see their suspensions extended should they be found guilty. Two years ago, Lyon’s Brazilian duo Cris and Juninho Pernambucano were fined 15,000 and 10,000 euros respectively for being deliberately booked during a Champions League game against Fiorentina.

It was suggested in the Spanish media yesterday that Mourinho had used Jerzy Dudek, his reserve goalkeeper, to relay a message to captain Iker Casillas that both Alonso and Ramos should earn second yellow cards. The two goalkeepers engaged in conversation as the game reached its closing stages, and Casillas then spoke with both Alonso and Ramos, though the Spain goalkeeper denied he had formed part of a plot.

“Dudek was asking me about my stomach problems,” Casillas said. “I told Ramos to keep an eye on one of their strikers, who was a constant threat inside the area.” Dutch television footage also captured Mourinho speaking to Alonso just before the former Liverpool player was awarded his second yellow card, though the Portuguese insisted he “spoke with many players [during the game], not just Alonso and Ramos.”

Regardless, Alonso then spent 22 seconds delaying a free-kick before being showed his second yellow card, while Ramos shook the referee’s hand after his second booking for wasting 15 seconds over a goal kick. Both Mourinho — who blamed “strange referee bookings in an easy game to monitor” — and Ramos have vehemently denied any conspiracy. “We tried to waste a bit of time as we were a man down and, knowing the result, the referee could have avoided showing this card,” said the defender.

Their actions, though, have been viewed as deliberate by many observers. “I think they used a good method to achieve what they had to achieve thinking ahead to future games,” said Vicente del Bosque, the Spain manager who twice won the Champions League with Real. “I do not know if it is unsporting, but they have to think of the future and I think they worked it well.”

Some senior figures inside the club are believed to be less impressed, however. While neither Alonso nor Ramos will be punished by the club regardless of the outcome of Uefa’s investigation, several members of Real’s hierarchy are thought to be upset that the club’s image should have been tarnished on what should have been a night of celebration.

 

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Re: Real Madrid pair Sergio & Xabi's 'deliberate red cards' being investigated by Uef


Arsene Wenger: Uefa should punish Real Madrid after 'horrible' red card controversy

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has called for Uefa sanctions against Real Madrid after it appeared that Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso deliberately picked up red cards in their Champions League group match against Ajax.

Pass the buck: the Portuguese coach is seen talking tactics with Real's substitute goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek... Photo: PRISACOM

...the Polish keeper approaches Real captain Iker Casillas to continue the human chain of instruction onto the pitch Photo: PRISACOM

Don't shoot the messenger: Casillas instructs Sergio Ramos... Photo: PRISACOM

By Telegraph staff 9:41AM GMT 26 Nov 2010

Uefa launched an enquiry into the controversy on Thursday, and Jose Mourinho and four of his players may face charges of improper conduct if the players are judged to have been picked up second yellow cards on purpose in order to go into the knock-out phase of the Champions Leaguewith a clean disciplinary slate.

Mourinho, Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos could face fines, as could Jerzy Dudek and Iker Casillas, who allegedly passed Mourinho's instructions from the bench to the players. Ramos and Alonso both picked up second yellow cards for time-wasting in the final minutes of the game, and are scheduled to serve their suspensions in Real's dead-rubber final group tie against Auxerre.

But Wenger was in no doubt that Mourinho and his players should face disciplinary action for their conduct. "There should be sanctions," he said. "I do not want to see that. It's a pity to see it from a big game. It gives a bad image. "I respect Real Madrid for their quality and for what they are doing, but whether it's them or somebody else, you don't want to see that on the football pitch.

"You want to respect people who pay money to watch a game. What do they want? To watch a football game, not to watch these kind of things. You don't want to accept that." Television and photographic images shows a series of whispered conversations: first between Mourinho and substitute keeper Dudek on the bench, then between Dudek and Casillas, and finally between Casillas and Sergio Ramos.

It was enough to convince Wenger: "When you see how it looks on television, it is the best demonstration to never do it again because, frankly, it looks horrible." "I'm not saying I'm better than Jose Mourinho or more of an example than him. I just think it doesn't look good." Arsenal may face Real Madrid in the first knock-out round if they fail to finish top of their group - a distinct possibility after Arsenal's successive away defeats to Shakhtar Donetsk and Braga.

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe also spoke up approvingly about Uefa's decision to investigate the charges: "Good to hear that UEFA will be taking action - Mourinho's a top coach but that sort of thing can't go on," he said on Twitter. He later deleted the comment.

 

[BlueCat]

Re: Real Madrid pair Sergio & Xabi's 'deliberate red cards' being investigated by Uef

this type of things happen quite often.
a lot of clubs are doing it.
it is only now the match officials/referees put it in their report,that is why uefa has to take action.

 

[no_faith]

Re: Real Madrid pair Sergio & Xabi's 'deliberate red cards' being investigated by Uef

such incidents happen.

it is also suggested that it is a giant club, managed by JM and it is being carry out too obvious that uefa has to do sumting.

 

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Mourinho banned, players fined over red cards


Mourinho banned, players fined over red cards

1 December 2010

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Real Madrid´s Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho, seen here on November 28, was on Tuesday banned for one game by UEFA after two of his players received suspicious red cards in a Champions League game with Ajax.

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PARIS (AFP) - Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho was on Tuesday banned for one game with one game suspended by UEFA after two of his players received suspicious red cards in a Champions League game with Ajax.

"The Spanish club's coach Jose Mourinho has been suspended from coaching activities for two UEFA club competition matches, of which the second is deferred for a probationary period of three years. He was also fined 40,000 euros," read a statement on the UEFA website.

UEFA specified that the punishments were for "improper conduct". Midfielder Xabi Alonso and right-back Sergio Ramos were both sent off at the end of Real's 4-0 win in Amsterdam last week after receiving their second yellow cards for blatant acts of time-wasting.

The dismissals mean they are banned for Real's final 'dead rubber' Group G match with Auxerre and Spanish press speculated that they had deliberately got sent off to give themselves a disciplinary clean slate in the last 16. Alonso and Ramos were both fined by UEFA, while goalkeeper Iker Casillas and reserve keeper Jerzy Dudek were also fined after being captured on television apparently passing messages to them from the dugout.

Spanish international team-mates Alonso and Ramos were fined 20,000 euros each, with a 10,000 fine handed to Casillas and Dudek ordered to pay 5,000 euros. "The red cards given to Alonso and Ramos stand, and they have therefore been suspended for one UEFA club competition match," added UEFA.

Real, nine-time European champions, were also fined 120,000 euros over the incident. The club has three days to launch an appeal.