Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho will not even be at Stamford Bridge tonight when his club hosts Bayern Munich in tonight’s Champions League quarter-final first leg.
Mourinho was given a two-match ban by UEFA for bringing the game into disrepute after claiming that Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard met with referee Anders Frisk at half-time during the 1st leg of the previous round.
Mourinho, who is entitled to watch the game from the Stamford Bridge stands, has opted to avoid the ground altogether tonight, fuelling speculation that he is disillusioned with Chelsea’s refusal to appeal against his touchline ban
His assistant Baltemar Brito confirmed that Mourinho will watch the first leg “away from the stadium.”
Brito said: “He’s not happy. He feels hard done by over the ban situation.”
“When Jose comes to a club or starts a new job, he gives 100% and expects 100% back.
“It is something you would have to ask Jose directly but I acknowledge that Jose felt he did not get 100% back.
“In respect of him not being there [at the match], he’s not too happy.”
Instead, Mourinho will “be in a private place, a peaceful place to watch the game. He will have no contact with the staff.”
Mourinho has played down the significance of his touchline ban and said his players know what is required of them.
“The team is ready and the staff is ready, we went through all the things we had to study,” said Mourinho.
“I cannot communicate with them during the game but because of the time we work together, they understand the way I think, the way I feel.
“The players have a good enthusiasm and confidence and we are very together.”
“It will be two big games. I don’t like the players to feel pressure on the first leg result because you never know what is a good result,” he added.
“You only know if the result is good when in the second leg you either go through or stay behind.
“So we don’t have the sort of pressure that says – we have to win, we have to win without conceding goals.
“This kind of thing is something I have cleaned from the dressing room already.”
