CHELSEA COACH LOSES THE PLOT AT MOURINHO
CHELSEA’S second assistant coach Marco Ianni will be asked to explain himself to Maurizio Sarri for provoking Jose Mourinho when celebrating Ross Barkley’s late equalising goal in the 2-2 draw with Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.
The visitors had looked on course for a rare Premier League win in west London as an Anthony Martial brace cancelled out Antonio Rudiger’s opener.
However, Barkley slammed in the last meaningful kick of the contest to secure a point, with all eyes then drawn to a spat between Mourinho and Ianni.
Ianni’s over-the-top celebrations in front of United’s dugout had a furious Mourinho leaping out of his seat and he was held back as he attempted to pursue Ianni down the Stamford Bridge tunnel.
Mourinho labelled the incident “bad education” on the part of Italian Ianni, who has apologised to the Portuguese.
Chelsea manager Sarri spoke to Ianni after the incident and revealed he will do so again today when he will ask him to explain his actions.
“Not celebrations, bad education,” said Mourinho, whose team had scored t wice through Anthony Martial after falling behind to Antonio Rudiger’s header on 20 minutes. “But I also made mistakes in football matches and I will make more.
“So after the game he came to me to apologise, I accepted his apologies, so [have] nothing more to say.
“Maurizio saw. Maurizio said he would take care of it internally, and to accept his apologies, which I did.
“But then the young fellow came, he also apologised and I told him ‘I accept your apology. I also did mistakes, especially when I was your age, and tried to improve’.
“[It was a] fantastic game with a fantastic result for Chelsea and an awful result for us.
“When you’re the best team, you want to win. If somebody tells me before the game ‘You go to Stamford Bridge you’ll get a point’, you say ‘Okay, that’s good’.
“But we were so much in control, we were so much the best team in the second half. We clearly deserved to win.”
United drew level nine minutes after the interval, Juan Mata finally forcing Kepa Arrizabalaga into action with a fine low save.
The visitors kept the ball alive and Anthony Martial controlled and turned home Ashley Young’s shot as Marcos Alonso lay prone in the middle of the box.
The goal seemed to give United belief they could go on and win the game while simultaneously rattling Chelsea’s confidence – although David Luiz missed a great chance to head Chelsea back in front.
Mata then did well to break down the right and feed Marcus Rashford, whose pass was slightly miscon- trolled by Martial before he bent superbly home past Kepa.
Chelsea pushed for a leveller and it came as Luiz’s header off the post was turned towards goal by Rudiger. David De Gea made a point-blank save only for substitute Barkley to turn home from close range and spark the bench brawl.
Sarri revealed he had apologised to Mourinho on behalf of Ianni, and his frustration over Chelsea dropping points after a promising start.
“After the match I spoke with Jose, and immediately I understood that we were wrong,” the 59-year-old said.