Jose patches things up after celebration row

JOSE MOURINHO was at the centre of an extraordinary tunnel skirmish on his return to Stamford Bridge after his former club Chelsea scored a 96th-minute equaliser to deny Manchester United a win.

The United manager was incensed when Marco Ianni, an assistant coach to Chelsea’s Maurizio Sarri, celebrated by running on to the pitch and then clenched his fists in celebration close to Mourinho’s face, before heading down the tunnel.

Mourinho immediately leapt up and attempted to chase him down the tunnel and only the intervention of a steward prevented further confrontation, with ref Mike Dean, players and coaching staff then all gathering around the chaotic scene. Ianni is likely to face an FA charge, with Dean expected to include the incident in his match report and Sarri confirmed his assistant could be disciplined.

‘I spoke with Jose after and realised we were wrong,’ said Sarri. ‘I spoke with my staff and then agreed to speak to Mourinho and say sorry.

‘Now I think it’s finished. We made a mistake. We were in the wrong on the situation. I have to speak to Marco, I want to be sure he understands it was a big mistake.’

Mourinho said: ‘It was bad education but I also made mistakes in football matches and I will make more so, when after the game he came to me to apologise, I accepted his apology and nothing more to say.

‘Maurizio said he would take care of it internally and to accept his apologies which I did. But then the young fellow came and he also apologised and I told him: “I accept your apology. I also did mistakes when I was your age, and try to improve”.’