José Mourinho walked out of a BBC interview and threatened to abort his press conference when he was asked whether he was concerned Branislav Ivanovic would face a retrospective charge of violent conduct for his apparent headbutt on the Everton substitute, James McCarthy.
Mourinho cut short the questions with the BBC – “Sorry, see you tomorrow” – and also made it clear he would walk out if he was pressed on the incident by newspaper journalists.
“I’m concerned with my reaction because one more question I leave.” Mourinho said. “So I’m more concerned with my reaction because one more question I have to go.”
Ivanovic is still likely to face a three-match ban and Everton’s manager, Roberto Martínez, was aggrieved that the Serb then headed on the free-kick that eventually led to Willian’s goal. “If you look at the images, Ivanovic’s behaviour is wrong,” Martínez said.
“He grabs him around the neck in a forceful manner then puts his head against him when James McCarthy didn’t react and, if you want to be on top of the laws, that’s a red card. If you want to analyse that action [Ivanovic’s part in the goal] it’s even more hurtful. You don’t want to see teams winning games in that manner.”
Mourinho has just come back from a self-imposed media blackout because he blamed the media coverage, in particular Sky and their pundit Jamie Redknapp, for Diego Costa’s three-match ban for bringing down his studs on Liverpool’s Emre Can, in their Capital One Cup semi-final two weeks ago.
The irony is that he had thanked the BBC at the weekend for not being as strident as Sky. On this occasion, however, the only comment he was willing to make came via BT Sport. “Did Ivanovic go in with his head? Don’t make me laugh. Don’t make me laugh.”
Ivanovic will potentially be ruled out of the Capital One Cup final, on 1 March, against Tottenham Hotspur, as well as league matches against Burnley and West Ham. Both clubs could also face a possible FA charge for not controlling their players in the confrontation that followed Gareth Barry’s second yellow card. “You know, I’m tired of stories,” Mourinho said.
“I’m never tired of football, and football is emotion and what we had here today – a discussion because of a red card that should be given in the first half. Barry should have been sent off in the first half because he already had a yellow card and pulled back [Eden] Hazard. So, nothing important.”