Mourinho wants fair deal from ref in League Cup final
Jose Mourinho turned the spotlight on League Cup final opponents Tottenham Hotspur on Friday by suggesting some of Mauricio Pochettino's side are guilty of simulation. Chelsea manager Mourinho has been infuriated by a succession of refereeing decisions this season, prompting him to claim there has been a campaign against his club. The situation hit a new low as far as the Portuguese was concerned last weekend during the home draw with Burnley when Mourinho highlighted four key decisions that went against the Blues. The performance of referee Martin Atkinson was widely criticised in the game, and Anthony Taylor will inevitably find himself under close scrutiny when he takes charge of the cup final. But Mourinho said: "I don't believe that anyone involved in this game doesn't want to make his best. I don't believe in any other thing. "All three teams will go with the same ambition: to do very well. "Hopefully, even the players who like to complicate things, hopefully even these players will try to make the final a big final.” Asked to name the players concerned, he added: “The players who dive looking for fouls, for cards, the players who – not week after week – but almost every two or three matches are simulating and pretending aggressions. "You know what I know. We are in the same industry in the same country. You know the names. You know what I know." Last weekend Tottenham striker Harry Kane was criticised by West Ham manager Sam Allardyce for the way he went down to win a late penalty. Chelsea will be without Nemanja Matic for the trip to Wembley after they failed to get the midfielder’s red card overturned. The Serb was sent off against Burnley after retaliating against an Ashley Barnes challenge but an appeal against the decision resulted only in the ban being reduced from three to two games. Mourinho refused to give his views on the decision, but made it clear he was unhappy. He said: "If I give you my views, it's bad for me. I can't give you my views because it's bad for me. "If I speak again about the Matic situation, I promise I will be in big trouble." The manager was also unhappy that an appeal for a penalty when Diego Costa went down against Burnley was ignored. Mourinho has expressed his concern that the striker has not been treated fairly by match officials this season and admitted Costa must tread carefully. The Portuguese said: "He has to be careful, but not with his behaviour. "He has to be careful because of other players and, as a consequence, the way referees look at him. Not because of how he has played since arriving in England. He has done very well.” But for all his concerns about the players on the pitch, Mourinho is convinced there will be no problems between the two benches and revealed his respect for Spurs manager Mourinho. He said: "He's a guy I respect and I know he respects me too. The same with his staff. Good people doing his work. We don't have problems. "It will be an easy job for the fourth official because, in between both benches, for sure peace and we will do our jobs." The final presents Mourinho and his players with the opportunity to win the first trophy of the manager’s second spell in charge at the club. The competition marked Mourinho’s first success in his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge in 2005 – and he believes victory at Wembley can help his current side move to the next level.
