Okay! The tackle may have carried an ‘X’ certificate rating but didn’t you just know that UEFA would somehow contrive to throw the bad side of Chelsea into the media spotlight.
Didn’t you just know that the mouthpiece of European football,(and Chelsea hater) Sepp Blatter, would intervene and act as prosecuter, judge and jury.
Mr Fandel may have missed the tackle on Dieter Hamman on Tuesday evening but television sure didn’t. However, Essien looked to have escaped punishment until Blatter suggested that UEFA could intervene.
It would appear that if Mr Fandel amitted that he didn’t see the incident then UEFA could invoke a disciplinary procedure. As sure as eggs are eggs, Mr Fandel has told UEFA he missed the incident, as did his assistant on that touchline and the fourth official who was probably too busy picking his nose.
Therefore, Michael Essien has now been charged with ‘Gross Unsporting Conduct’ and Chelsea have until 14th December to contest or provide evidence to protect the player from a suspension.
If no such evidence is forthcoming then it looks highly likely that Essien will receive a three match ban the following day.
Essien has courted controversy already this season when a similar tackle on Bolton’s Tal Ben Haim resulted in Rob Styles handing out a yellow card. Once again outrage dominated the media as calls for it to be upgraded to a red card were made. On this occasion the FA’s hands were tied as Styles had already handed out a form of punishment. A fact verified by instruction from FIFA. Sadly, as no such card was issued on Tuesday night, Essien is therefore at the mercy of UEFA.
Following on from the off-field events that marred our Champions League campaign last season, you cannot help but feel that UEFA have been sitting in their ivory towers just praying for such an incident to happen.
Or am I simply being paranoid?
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