Jose Mourinho calls for points deduction and ban from Champions League for FFP offenders

Mourinho and Pellegrini

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has taken a swipe at weekend opponents Manchester City saying the UEFA punishment on them was not serious enough.City were fined £50million and their squad cropped to 21 players by Uefa for failing the Financial Fairplay Guidelines.

During an interview with Maisfutebol, the Portuguese manager said that the European body needs to be tougher on offenders.

“Everybody knows there are fines and, if these fines exist, control exists,” said Mourinho. “But are fines fair? I don’t think so. In my opinion the first thing is to remove points and remove titles”

The 51-year-old said that stricter punishments are the only way to make clubs take the rules more seriously.

“If you have important capital which allows you to overcome the FFP; if you win titles and then you are fined economically, you keep doing the same thing.“They will take from you one or two players from the Champions League list. Then, instead of 24, you go with 22. But if you’re stating that you will start the next Champions League with six points fewer, or you won’t play in the next edition of the Champions League and go into the Europa League instead, it’s more serious.”

Paris Saint-German and Zenit St Petersburg were also fined £50million — though a reduction is possible if they comply in future — with the Champions League squad cut to 21 players.

The London clubs, who themselves have splurged millions in the transfer market since Abramovich’s takeover in 2003 have taken a new subdued approach to comply with FFP.