Barca still furious over lifting of Mourinho eye-poke ban

[Bojan]

BARCELONA (Reuters) - FC Barcelona have fired another salvo in a dispute with Real Madrid and the Spanish football federation over the lifting of Real coach Jose Mourinho's two-match ban for poking Barca assistant Tito Vilanova in the eye.



The clash over the federation's move on Tuesday to exonerate Mourinho suggests the bad blood that has marred relations between the clubs in recent years is set to spill over into the 2012-13 season beginning next month.

Toni Freixa (Barca spokesman):

"We are angry, we do not agree with the Spanish federation's decision"

"We believe that an aggression like Mourinho's should not go unpunished. His actions were treacherous, very serious and had been witnessed by the whole world."

Barca believe the federation's decision, part of a general amnesty for sanctioned players and coaches, damages the image of Spanish football and can only encourage further aggression.

Mourinho, a former Barca assistant coach, was initially banned after attacking Vilanova, who has since taken over as first-team coach from Pep Guardiola, from behind during a Super Cup match last August.

His punishment was rescinded by football federation (RFEF) president Angel Maria Villar, who traditionally forgives some players and coaches after sealing re-election.

He was voted in unopposed for a seventh four-year term in February and his latest amnesty was announced at the RFEF's general assembly in Madrid on Tuesday.

Freixa said Barca had originally considered lodging a formal complaint against Mourinho but after consultation with players and coaching staff had decided to let the federation handle the case.

Now, after the lifting of the ban, the club had decided it wants a working group set up to examine the federation's disciplinary regime and Villar's amnesties, he added.

"Rules are needed that prevent cases like this from happening again, because this image being produced is very serious for Spanish football."

"We expect a positive response from the federation and if that is not forthcoming we'll have to look at other options. The legal course is open to everyone but it's not our basic plan."

The federation's decision meant Vilanova's one-match ban for reacting to Mourinho's aggression by pushing him away was also lifted, as were bans given to Real pair Mesut Ozil and Marcelo and Barca's David Villa, who were all red-carded.

All five are now clear to take part when La Liga champions Real and King's Cup winners Barca meet next month in the 2012 Super Cup, the two-legged curtain-raiser to the season.

The first leg is at Barca's Nou Camp stadium on August 23, with the return leg at Real's Bernabeu arena on August 30.

(reuters)

[Deco 20]

Good thing we're complaining. He should have been given a 10 game ban, at the least. RFEF showing once again how incompetent they are.

As for our chances in the supercopa, Özil and Marcelos bans being lifted hurt us more than Mourinho being able to play, but aren't as offensive (still wrong, though, just as Villa's ban being lifted)

[Bojan]

Rosell and the board were naive to put faith in RFEF in the first place. Or they wanted to play higher moral ground and not engage in formal complaints.
Whatever it was, they were obviously wrong and it probably set the tone for the entire season encouraging them to step all over us as we were clearly robbed in 5-6 matches in the first part of the season. Later on, when it didn't matter we suddenly got all those penalties.

And all this time, Rosell says nothing himself.

[Galning]

We all knew Rosell is a pussy... Laporta

[Maria]

"Rules are needed that prevent cases like this from happening again, because this image being produced is very serious for Spanish football."

"We expect a positive response from the federation and if that is not forthcoming we'll have to look at other options. The legal course is open to everyone but it's not our basic plan."

What options?

They won't do anything, in other words..and as far as I could see, Villar doesn't really take Rosell seriously. Even he realizez that we have a coward president..someone who accuses the former president of stealling, but lets someone else file the complaint and then doesn't have the guts to vote in front of the other socios. Or promises to go all the way with the trial against Cope, but then accepts 200 000 euros(very small price to pay for smearing a club's name and reputation). I guess you can't expect too much from a friend of Florentino Perez and an enemy of Cruyff.

To be honest, I don't expect anything better going into the new season..from Mourinho or Rosell.

[mittchan82]

This is a clear physical assault by Mourinho and if spanish federation is not taking action in the proper manner than we should bring it up to UEFA

[Reasonus]

The Catalan papers saw this coming months ago just as they knew Mourinho's assault will be considered a minor offense because a major offense means a ban of 4-12 games. Calciopoli is kids' stuff, Madrid has the federation in its pocket.

What positives were expected? Pepe's stamp on Messi's hand went unpunished.

"Rules are needed that prevent cases like this from happening again, because this image being produced is very serious for Spanish football."

"We expect a positive response from the federation and if that is not forthcoming we'll have to look at other options. The legal course is open to everyone but it's not our basic plan."

What options?

They won't do anything, in other words..and as far as I could see, Villar doesn't really take Rosell seriously. Even he realizez that we have a coward president..someone who accuses the former president of stealling, but lets someone else file the complaint and then doesn't have the guts to vote in front of the other socios. Or promises to go all the way with the trial against Cope, but then accepts 200 000 euros(very small price to pay for smearing a club's name and reputation). I guess you can't expect too much from a friend of Florentino Perez and an enemy of Cruyff.

To be honest, I don't expect anything better going into the new season..from Mourinho or Rosell.

Couldn't agree more.

[Pepe Silvia]

Rosell and the board were naive to put faith in RFEF in the first place. .

As I read the article, this is exactly what I was thinking. Leave it to Barcelona reps and officials to not be proactive and attack with full force from the onset. We are way too easy going about this type of stuff and I've said that in the past.

[oggmar]

Absolute disgrace, I couldn't believe what I first read. I'm guessing the refs will be real good this year aswell in La Liga

[AvocadoCake]

http://www.footballcourier.com/news/...ull_story.html

I really am disgusted. Both Tito and Mou should have had their bans multiplied by 5, and the fact that it had to wait until the next season's supercopa is crazy.

Imagine this: Barcelona lost the CdR to Bilbao, and bans weren't rescinded, now Tito's slap ban and Villa's red card ban carry on to the NEXT season, if indeed we (were to) make it. RFEF matches are RFEF matches, whatever the competition: If a player gets sent off in the CdR, he shouldn't be able to play the next BBVA game.

Flaw, after flaw, after idiotic flaw. What can you do, though, when the very top is corrupted?

we should bring it up to UEFA

as bad as Platini is, he can't (surely) make matters worse. I say an official complaint of some sort must be made.