UEFA Charges Pellegrini With Misconduct

The European football governing body UEFA, has charge Manuel Luis Pellegrini, the Manchester City manager with misconduct for his statement after his team lost 2 - 0 to Barcelona in the Champions League encounter on Tuesday this week in Manchester.

Mr Pellegrini, said after the match, that the Swedish referee, Mr Jonas Eriksson was ''not impartial to both teams.''

In Pellegrini's angry conference after the match he said, ''From the beginning I felt the referee was not impartial to both teams.''

Manuel Luis Pellegrini

''I think it was not a good idea to put a referee from Sweden in charge of such an important match, especially a referee who has made an important mistake against Barcelona in a previous match,'' he said.

''It's more important football in Europe than Sweden. A big game with two important teams, that kind of game needs a referee with more experience.''

UEFA said that the case will be dealt with by a discilinary panel on the 28 of this month. Read also: africanfootie.blogspot.com

A statememt from the football body said, ''Following an investigation by the Uefa disciplinary inspector, Uefa has opened disciplinary proceedings against Manuel Luis Pellegrini concerning the press interview given to the media after the above mentioned match.''

''The Manchester City head coach is charged for violation of the general principles of conduct,'' the statement said.

The coach is charged even after he apologised for his angry out-burst. He seem to have realised the enormity of his accusation.

But what I fail to understand from his statement, is why he didn't think that good referees can come out of Sweden. His statement about the referee, even if he is correct, why did he make such a derogatory statement about Sweden?

He implied that quality referees cannot come out of Sweden. The country has quality FIFA and UEFA referees that officiates high profile games in Europe and World Cup.