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Referee Kevin Friend (right) sent Maurizio Sarri to the stands during a bad-tempered end to Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Burnley. Chelsea staff spoke to the referee post-match.
Referee Kevin Friend (right) sent Maurizio Sarri to the stands during a bad-tempered end to Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Burnley. Chelsea staff spoke to the referee post-match. Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Action Images via Reuters
Referee Kevin Friend (right) sent Maurizio Sarri to the stands during a bad-tempered end to Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Burnley. Chelsea staff spoke to the referee post-match. Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Action Images via Reuters

FA to assess referee’s report after claims Burnley staff abused Maurizio Sarri

This article is more than 4 years old
Backroom staff said to have repeatedly called Sarri ‘a shit Italian’
Referee Kevin Friend sent Chelsea manager to stands

The Football Association will assess the referee’s match report from Stamford Bridge before deciding whether to investigate claims lodged by Chelsea that Maurizio Sarri was repeatedly called “a shit Italian” by members of Burnley’s backroom staff.

Sarri was involved in confrontations with personnel in the away technical area during Monday’s fractious 2-2 draw, with frustrations spilling over in stoppage time as players clashed on the pitch. The Chelsea manager was sent to the stands by the referee, Kevin Friend, having run down the touchline, apparently to try to calm the situation, and appeared to point a finger at the Burnley goalkeeping coach, Billy Mercer, at the mouth of the tunnel as he departed.

It is understood Sarri heard members of Burnley’s staff allegedly call him “a shit Italian” on several occasions – their manager, Sean Dyche, was not involved – and Chelsea staff spoke to the referee post-match. The official apparently indicated he would include reference to their allegations in his report. It is not clear whether the fourth official, Roger East, who regularly found himself ushering Sarri away from the Burnley technical area and was far closer to the protagonists, also heard the alleged comments.

“Maurizio’s very frustrated, he’s been sent off and I think he’s been offended as well,” said the Chelsea assistant first-team manager, Gianfranco Zola, who complained about Burnley’s perceived time-wasting tactics throughout a tempestuous match. “He’s frustrated at the game, frustrated at being sent off, and the other thing. I think he’s been told something from their bench but don’t ask me exactly what.

“I don’t want to go down that line but we’ll see what we can do about that. 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.”

Details of the fracas after the final whistle, when Mercer clashed with the Chelsea coaches Paolo Bertelli and Massimo Nenci, as well as the injured player Antonio Rüdiger, are also expected to be included in the report. Both clubs face charges of failing to control their players and staff, while Sarri is likely to face sanction for his dismissal. Burnley could also face punishment if it is proved members of their staff had provoked him.

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Burnley will wait to ascertain what has been included in Friend’s report but, at present, have no plans to investigate Chelsea’s allegations. Dyche made light of the suggestions his staff had engaged Sarri in his post-match observations, saying: “I don’t think my coaches’ language skills are that good. It wouldn’t have been a deep conversation.”

The Burnley manager had spoken to Zola at half-time over Sarri’s tendency to encroach in the opposing technical area, something that has happened consistently during his first season in English football. “He said at half-time [Sarri] is not quite getting it,” said Dyche of his conversation with Zola. “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.”

The Chelsea and England winger Callum Hudson-Odoi is to undergo surgery this week on the achilles tendon he ruptured in his right leg when falling awkwardly against Burnley. The 18-year-old has flown to Barcelona to see a specialist and will miss the remainder of the season and the summer’s Nations League.

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