Champions League - Chelsea to appeal UEFA bans

Eurosport - Tue, 30 Jun 09:16:00 2009

Chelsea are to appeal the "unnecessarily harsh" punishments handed out by UEFA in the wake of their controversial Champions League semi-final defeat.

FOOTBALL Chelsea striker Didier Drogba hassles referee Tom Ovrebo at the end of the Champions League semi-final exit to Barcelona - 0

European football's governing body banned striker Didier Drogba (pictured right) and right-back Jose Bosingwa for four and three matches, respectively, with other games suspended.

The punishment was meted out for their comments in the wake of the 1-1 second-leg draw with Barcelona at Stamford Bridge in May which sent them out of the competition.

Drogba's foul-mouthed rant at the official was captured by watching millions on live TV.

The Ivorian stunned the worldwide audience by shouting "It's a f****** disgrace" straight at the cameras. He later apologised for his behaviour.

Bosingwa was banned for labelling Tom Ovrebo (pictured left) a "thief" in an interview - words he later retracted.

But he too will miss a large chunk of Chelsea's Champions League group stage unless the club can get the suspensions reduced on appeal.

The club also received a fine of £85,000 for the improper conduct of their players and for the throwing of missiles by their supporters.

PA Sport

Comment 22 - 41 of 101

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  1. did they punish the referee and did they get to the­ bottom of why he was so biased. Never accept this ban­ fight corruption

    From kipketer1411, on Mon 29 Jun 9:50PM

  2. The worse culprit by Chelsea was the German scum­ Ballack. He should have a season long ban for­ manhandlin the ref and hitting him accidently under the­ chin when remonstrating.

    From CHARLES, on Mon 29 Jun 9:48PM

  3. clive how was he encouriging children an what did you­ want him to do drog proved he has passion an wants to­ win biggest game of his career poss life was stolen­ from him an you think he should just say oh well, ref­ should have been beaten by drog

    From Jimmyrice man u are champs again, on Mon 29 Jun 9:46PM

  4. ref should be banned plattini should be banned blatter­ should be banned poor drogba was givin his all for­ chelsea and has been wrongly punished, if someone a­ @#$% you tell them thats all drog did

    From Jimmyrice man u are champs again, on Mon 29 Jun 9:44PM

  5. Mark, or should it be NO-MARK we live northern runners­ like you every day of our lives. your jealousy of the­ south is understandable you f**king whingers.

    From afcwasps, on Mon 29 Jun 9:43PM

  6. fookin southern soft @rse holes live with it,deal with­ it,get over it.

    From Mark, on Mon 29 Jun 9:33PM

  7. dont cry chesea scum and you you man united scum

    From daniel viqueira, on Mon 29 Jun 9:26PM

  8. to all you thick @#$% out there try to remember one­ thing, the TRUTH hurts. if you think telling the truth­ constitutes a ban then you arseholes who are slagging­ these two players deserve every misfortune that happens­ in your sad little lives, the referee was a f**king­ disgrace and a thief and much much more.the sooner you­ get off your scrounging little northern arses, get a­ job and get an education then the sooner you will­ understand this you waste of space spongeing muppets .­ CHELSEA BY BIRTH, NOT GLORY.

    From afcwasps, on Mon 29 Jun 9:20PM
  9. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    DRAGBAS A FACKUN CANT.

    From Donney, on Mon 29 Jun 9:01PM

  10. give it up er also rans you deserve more bans chelsea­ cheats

    From sly fox, on Mon 29 Jun 8:49PM

  11. Bodrul A? should be Bogroll off

    From Myway, on Mon 29 Jun 8:49PM

  12. Thank you Bodrul A for your educated comments!

    What­ you are affectively saying is that anyone who disagrees­ with the interpretation of a referee is justified in­ screaming, ranting, raving and encouraging children to­ do the same thing. In other words thug mentality is OK.­ Whatever provocation it is totally unacceptable when­ earning an obscene amount of money. With that wage­ comes a responsibility which several Chelsea players­ were unable to fulfill in such a high profile­ match.

    As a result the penalties dished out were­ minor, Ballack for instance wasn't even­ banned.

    What should happen to any player who cheats­ (i.e. dives) trying to con the referee or any player­ who goes when they are gently touched? Are you saying­ they are incapable of standing on their own two feet? I­ suggest you go and play some Sunday football to see how­ pathetically some professional players behave.

    From Clive, on Mon 29 Jun 8:28PM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    u lot dicks who think drog deserved­ more then he is­ geting. well your rong iam a chelsea fan and wat­ happend that day was well we got skrud that day and wat­ drog said well i still respect him so iam going to say­ well @#$% u all for thing that he deserved­ more

    From Bodrul A, on Mon 29 Jun 8:06PM

  14. its a disgwace its a disgwace its a­ disgwace!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From Alex Z, on Mon 29 Jun 8:04PM

  15. stop appealing c**** u got what you deserved im­ surprised drogba didnt get banned for a whole yr effin­ cheatski

    From Alex Z, on Mon 29 Jun 7:51PM

  16. Nothing at all will change, either to the ref or­ Chesley! Remember the 'Hand of God' World Cup­ referee? After being flown home immediately after­ collecting his gear from the FIFA Hotel, whatever ­ happened to him, or the false result he caused? Does­ 'stop England at all costs' ring a bell? How­ come Germany got the World Cup, not us?

    From GEOF, on Mon 29 Jun 7:43PM

  17. Nothing at all will change, either to the ref or­ Chesley! Remember the 'Hand of God' World Cup­ referee? After being flown home immediately after­ collecting his gear from the FIFA Hotel, whatever ­ happened to him, or the false result he caused? Does­ 'stop England at all costs' ring a bell? How­ come Germany got the World Cup, not us?

    From GEOF, on Mon 29 Jun 7:41PM

  18. how has ballack not been charged as well. man-hadling­ the ref is supposed to get you a straight red. so­ chelsea have got of lightly yet again. so i hope they­ appeal and get longer punishment.

    From ripped of, on Mon 29 Jun 7:39PM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    The degree of the penalty was greater than the gravity­ of the actual offence committed.
    CFC please save the­ hit man for us.

    From Dominic, on Mon 29 Jun 7:35PM

  20. i hope they get harder punnished

    From boyggi36, on Mon 29 Jun 7:32PM
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