UGLY SCENES AT STAMFORD BRIDGE
Chelsea boss Sarri lost his cool as touchline brawl mars game
ANUMBER of individuals on Burnley’s bench repeatedly shouted ‘s*** Italian’ at Chelsea head coach Maurizio Sarri, sparking the touchline brawl that marred Monday night’s 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.
An incensed Sarri was sent down the tunnel by referee Kevin Friend and fourth official Roger East during the closing minutes of the match.
According to eyewitnesses, he lost his cool with members of
Sean Dyche’s backroom team following the insults and was so offended he delegated post-match press conference duties to his assistant Gianfranco Zola.
The Burnley manager himself was not responsible for the offensive remarks.
East will include details of the incident in his referee’s report and it could be enough for the Football Association to launch an investigation into a racially aggravated offence.
The match was in its closing stages when the row erupted, with Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger, absent because of a knee injury but sitting on the Chelsea bench, held back by stewards as he argued with Burnley goalkeeper coach Billy Mercer.
Chelsea coaches Massimo Nenci and Paolo Bertelli also became involved as tempers flared, both seemingly infuriated by Mercer.
The row started on the touchline but continued after the final whistle as the two benches returned to their dressing rooms.
Moments before the final whistle, Sarri was sent away to the stands after striding out of his technical area and down the touchline to chip away at Friend.
Earlier in the game, Dyche’s assistant Ian Woan pointed out that Sarri was encroaching on their technical area.
Chelsea then took issue with what they perceived as persistent and cynical time-wasting from the Burnley players as early as the first-half. After the match, Sarri didn’t appear for his media duties, leaving Zola to explain.
“He’s very frustrated,” Zola said. “I think there will be a follow up on that. Maurizio felt very unhappy. We understand it’s a football game. You say words because of the adrenaline, but he wasn’t particularly happy. If Maurizio said that, probably it’s something that could have been avoided.
“There is a lot of emotion at the moment. He was very unhappy with some of the decisions on the pitch. He went to tell our players to get on with the game. It has been misinterpreted by Kevin (Friend). That’s why I am here.
“When he is on the touchline, he moves around a lot because he is very emotional. Actually, today he didn’t come out too much. When he went there. Kevin, misinterpreted. He just wanted to calm his players down.”
Dyche, meanwhile, played down the touchline skirmishes, describing it as ‘handbags, bumbags, manbags’.
However, Dyche did confirm he sought out Zola at half-time to raise the issue of Sarri encroaching on their technical area.
“He said at half-time (Sarri) is not quite getting it,” Dyche said. “I said he was going over into my box. He just said he didn’t quite get the reality of it — they’re bigger in Italy. OK. He’s been here a while, mind. I said fine and accepted it.”