LONDON, April 24 (Reuters) - Two newspapers have claimed Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho once allegedly hid in a laundry basket used for transporting the club's kit to get round a UEFA ban covering a big game.
The
Daily Mail said it happened two years ago when Mourinho
had been barred from contact with his players during both legs
of a quarter-final Champions League tie against Bayern Munich.
He was being punished after indiscretions in the previous
round with Barcelona.
On the night of the home leg, observers were convinced that
Chelsea fitness coach Rui Faria was using an earpiece hidden
under a woolly hat to communicate with the manager, the
Mail
said.
Both the
Mail and
The Times said Mourinho arrived early at
the ground, watched the game on a TV in a dressing room and
delivered the pre-match and halftime talks.
Both papers alleged that about 10 minutes before the end of
the game, which Chelsea won 4-2, the manager clambered into one
of the laundry skips.
He was then wheeled away to Stamford Bridge leisure club
where it was claimed he had spent the entire evening.
Both papers quoted a Chelsea statement saying: 'The
situation is very clear. Both matches were controlled by UEFA
and they were more than satisfied on both nights that their
ruling was intact, hence the statements that were issued by
UEFA at the time and subsequently.
'The only reason to publish this so close to a big match is
to serve an agenda that is intended to undermine our team.'
Chelsea play the first leg of this season's Champions
League semi-final against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on
Wednesday.
The
Daily Mail said UEFA would not be taking up the alleged
episode with Mourinho.
The Times suggested they were unlikely
to act because of the time lapse.
