Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has seen a suspended one-match ban overturned and his team’s fine was also cut on appeal, after claims he instructed players to deliberately collect red cards so they could serve bans in a meaningless Champions League group game.
Mourinho is suspended for Wednesday’s Champions League tie against Auxerre, but UEFA’s appeals body rescinded a further one-match ban which was to be imposed if he was found guilty within the next three years of what it called “improper conduct.”
UEFA reduced Madrid’s overall fine for its behaviour in the 4-0 win at Ajax on Nov. 23 from €120,000 to €100,000. Mourinho’s fine was reduced €10,000 to €30,000.
Fines against Xabi Alonso, Sergio Ramos, Iker Casillas and Jerzy Dudek all stood, as did Alonso and Ramos’ one-match suspensions. The pair will still start the knockout rounds in February with a clean disciplinary slate.
Mourinho had denied the claims but footage of the match showed him apparently sending instructions from the bench immediately before Alonso and Ramos received second yellow cards for time-wasting late on.
