Mourinho compares Champions League ref to Joubert

Jose Mourinho has compared a Champions League referee to beleaguered rugby official Craig Joubert.
Jose Mourinho reacts before the Champions League match with Dynamo Kiev in Ukraine. Picture: Sergei Chuzavkov/APJose Mourinho reacts before the Champions League match with Dynamo Kiev in Ukraine. Picture: Sergei Chuzavkov/AP
Jose Mourinho reacts before the Champions League match with Dynamo Kiev in Ukraine. Picture: Sergei Chuzavkov/AP

The Chelsea manager felt aggrieved after Chelsea’s 0-0 draw at Dynamo Kiev, describing Slovenian referee Damir Skomina’s decision not to award Cesc Fabregas a penalty as “weak and naive”.

Mourinho is currently appealing against a £50,000 fine and suspended one-match stadium ban imposed for his criticism of referee Robert Madeley following the Barclays Premier League 3-1 loss to Southampton on 3 October.

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He believes there are inconsistencies in the disciplinary process after Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger escaped censure for calling referee Mike Dean “weak and naive” following the Gunners’ loss at Chelsea last month.

Mourinho used the same terminology employed by Wenger when discussing the decision of Skomina to ignore first-half penalty appeals from Fabregas after a challenge by Serhiy Rybalka.

Mourinho told BT Sport: “The referee was weak and naive. Big penalty.”

Mourinho tempered his criticism of Skomina, saying that the official’s refereeing Tuesday was “very good” apart from the penalty incident.

He compared Skomina to South African rugby referee Joubert, who has been widely criticised for his decision to award a penalty that cost Scotland victory over Australia in a Rugby World Cup quarter-final last week.

“I think [Skomina] made one mistake and, for example in the Rugby World Cup, I think the referee in the Scotland game was very good, but he made one mistake and because of that mistake Scotland is crying,” Mourinho said.

Joubert was publicly criticised for his decision by rugby’s world governing body and has not been selected for the World Cup semi-finals.