|
Chelsea will discover later on Friday whether striker Diego Costa must serve a suspension for violent conduct that would rule him out of Saturday's crucial Premier League clash with Manchester City, while the club could also face censure for cancelling their prematch news conference Costa, 26, is facing an immediate three-match ban for his alleged stamp on Liverpool midfielder Emre Can during Tuesday's Capital One Cup semifinal second leg at Stamford Bridge. However, in a move which has the full support of the club, Costa contested the Football Association charge ahead of Thursday evening's deadline and as such the case will now go before an independent regulatory commission, which will make the final decision and has no leave of appeal. There will, therefore, be a resolution before Saturday's contest with title rivals City at Stamford Bridge, a match Chelsea have announced they will not be holding a news conference to preview. The incident -- one of several during an action-packed 120 minutes earlier this week -- happened in close proximity to the dugouts but was missed by the match officials. It was subsequently reviewed on video by referee Michael Oliver, with the charge following as part of the FA's fast-tracked procedures. The cancellation of Friday's news conference, which under Premier League rules Chelsea are obliged to hold, means manager Jose Mourinho will not be put into the crossfire ahead of the Stamford Bridge encounter, which comes just days after being fined 25,000 pounds by the FA for claiming there was a ''clear campaign'' against his side. Those comments followed the draw at Southampton on Dec. 28, with the Portuguese making similar remarks after Tuesday's 1-0 win against Liverpool when defending Costa. "I don't know what you understand by stamp," Mourinho said. "I think maybe you are already influenced by... I'm going to use a word which put me in trouble, but I think this time I cannot be punished to say that there is a campaign on the television with a certain pundit that is saying Diego Costa 'crimes.' This guy must be nuts. "I saw the incidents. About the penalty, I don't speak. I prefer not to speak. If I comment I will be in trouble and I don't want to be. "What you call stamps and [match broadcaster] Sky calls crimes, I have to say absolutely accidental. He goes to the ball, he chases the ball, as the opponent is on the floor, they have a contact, he puts his foot there when he's looking to the ball." The move to avoid the prematch news conference may be a sensible decision, but it could prove costly for Chelsea. Rule K.95 of the Premier League handbook states each club must ensure their manager attends a news conference with broadcasters and, at their discretion, other representatives of the media on a Thursday or Friday before a weekend game "save for exceptional circumstances, to be managed and monitored by the league." PA Sport reports that the Premier League will write to Chelsea and ask for their observations in the wake of this week's no-show, with a fine a possible outcome.
|
