Sunday 21 September 2014 15:02, UK
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has called on UEFA to dock points and remove titles if clubs are found to have breached Financial Fair Play regulations.
Manchester City were fined around £50million by Uefa this year for FFP breaches, although they will have to pay only around £20m if they comply with the break-even rules in future seasons.
City’s Champions League squad was also capped at 21 players this season, but Mourinho does not think the sanctions go far enough and says clubs will only abide by the rules if there is a tougher stance.
Are the fines fair? I don’t think so. In my opinion the first thing to do would be to remove points and remove titles.
Chelsea have actively sought to operate within the new boundaries and Mourinho believes there should be a proper deterrent.
“Everybody knows there are fines and, if these fines exist, control exists,” said the Chelsea manager in an interview with Maisfutebol.
“But, anyway, are the fines fair? I don’t think so. In my opinion the first thing to do would be to remove points and remove titles.
“If you have important capital which allows you to overcome financial fair play, if you win titles and then you are fined economically, you keep doing the same thing.
“They will take from you one or two players from the Champions League list. Then, instead of 24, you go with 22.
“But if you’re stating that you’ll start the next Champions League with six points fewer, or you won’t play in the next edition of the Champions League and will go into the Europa League instead, it is more serious.”
Chelsea face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday and may come up against their former midfielder Frank Lampard, who has joined Manuel Pellegrini’s side on loan from New York City after leaving Stamford Bridge in the summer.
Mourinho says Lampard’s Chelsea legacy is ‘untouchable’ even though he now plays for a rival club, and has suggested that he could even return to the club as manager in the future.
“I still believe that what this club proposed to him, which is to be back when he wants and do what he wants – these were the words from Mr Abramovich – I think it’s not in any danger.
“It’s just a period of his career. We thought he was going to play for New York. He decided to play for City. It was just an option and he has that right to do that.
“His place in Chelsea’s history is untouchable. I think, in the future, nothing has been lost.
“He can be back one day, I think so. If he wants to be a manager, he could succeed me.”
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