Alvaro Morata was sent off in Chelsea’s FA Cup win over Norwich City (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Antonio Conte admits he is ‘not happy’ with Alvaro Morata’s reaction which led to the striker’s red card in Chelsea’s FA Cup win over Norwich City.
Morata came on for Michy Batshuayi in the 81st minute with Chelsea 1-0 up – but Jamal Lewis’s late header took the third-round clash into extra-time.
Pedro, who received a yellow card for diving earlier in the match, was sent off for another foul, before Morata suffered a similiar fate.
The former Real Madrid star was contentiously booked for simulation but his decision to angrily confront the referee led to a second yellow.
In Morata and Pedro’s absence, Chelsea scored all five penalties to progress to the next round of the FA Cup.
Asked whether he is angry at Morata and Pedro over their part in the dismissals, Conte said: ‘For sure I think I am not happy for the second yellow card to Morata.
Morata complains to the referee after being booked for diving (Picture: AFP/Getty Images)
‘The first was doubtful, but the second was for dissent. You must pay great attention because in this moment in the game you have to stay calm.’
‘I don’t want an advantage,’ Conte added when asked about diving. ‘If there was a dive then it is right to give a yellow card, I don’t want the advantage, especially if there is this system.
‘If it was not a penalty it was right to give a yellow card.’
VAR came under the spotlight during the game, with Willian also booked for diving despite being caught in the area. Video official Mike Jones adjudged that a clear and obvious error was not made.
The Spaniard went down after minimal contact (Picture: Getty)
But Alan Shearer called the incident a ‘shambles’ and Conte insisted the system needs to improve to make VAR a success.
‘I think that we need to improve if we want to use the new system,’ he added. ‘Today in this game there is a situation very clear, with Willian, at the start of extra-time.
‘I think the situation was very clear and I watched and this is a penalty. Very clear. If we want to improve, you have to wait to check with the person that is watching the game.’
Antonio Conte was fuming with the use of VAR (Picture: REUTERS/David Klein)
Reigning Premier League champions Chelsea now turn their attentions back to the league, with a trip to Brighton coming up this weekend.
‘We have to play in two days against Brighton,’ Conte said. ‘We have to try to recover very well.
‘My decision was clear to try to go to the next round tonight and give some rest for some players. It will not be easy against Brighton. We face many problems and Pedro and Morata are not available.’
MORE: Chelsea fans urge Conte to sell David Luiz after FA Cup scare
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Chelsea Chelsea accused in Fifa inquiry of breaking rules on signings of 25 minors • Investigation relates to signing of foreign players aged under 18
• Chelsea face possible transfer ban from Fifa disciplinary committee
• Club say they comply with Fifa regulations when recruiting players Chelsea’s case has been passed to Fifa’s disciplinary committee, which has the power to impose sanctions. Photograph: Rob Sambles/Frozen in Motion/Rex/Shutterstock
Chelsea have been accused, after an initial Fifa investigation, of breaking the rules on the signing of 25 foreign players under the age of 18. The number of cases could rise, with the matter now in the hands of the governing body’s disciplinary committee, which has the power to impose sanctions – chief among them a ban on transfers.
Fifa announced last September that it was looking into alleged breaches at Chelsea when it came to the recruitment of youth players from overseas – making them the first English club to face such action.
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Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid were investigated for infringements related to the signing of minors and each was given a two-window transfer ban, although Real served only one after a successful appeal to the court of arbitration for sport (Cas).
The initial investigation into Chelsea was carried out by the compliance unit of Fifa’s transfer matching system (TMS) and it is believed it was first alerted by the case of Bertrand Traoré, the Burkina Faso forward. He was signed to professional terms by Chelsea on 1 January 2014, the day the transfer window opened after his 18th birthday, but pictures would emerge of him playing for the club against Arsenal in a “non-competitive” game on 23 October 2011, when he was 16. The pictures came to Fifa’s attention in January 2016.
Clubs are not permitted to sign players under the age of 18 from other countries unless their parents have emigrated for reasons not connected to football or both the player and club are based within 50km of a national border. Under Fifa’s Article 19, the only other exception is for transfers within either the European Union or European Economic Area where the player is aged between 16 and 18. Fifa was concerned that Traoré, who left Chelsea for Lyon last June, did not appear to fulfil any of the exemptions.
TMS flagged a total of 25 player cases in which it thought Chelsea might have transgressed and it passed its findings to the disciplinary committee, which is searching for further examples in a forensic look at the club’s academy. It is within its remit to discard any of the original 25 cases. The disciplinary committee can examine any incoming transfer over a period of 10 years.
It has requested information from Chelsea and is in contact with the Football Association. It wants the FA to provide facts and figures for the 25 players – and possibly others – such as the registration details and the matches in which they have played. The disciplinary committee’s investigation is at an early stage but it is expected to develop quickly over the coming months.
When it has been completed it will submit its evidence to an independent panel within the disciplinary committee, who will reach a verdict. If found guilty, Chelsea would be entitled to appeal to Fifa and then to Cas.
xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> Fifa’s principle is that a systemic breach of the rules is so serious it should entail a transfer embargo
A Chelsea spokesman said: “Chelsea FC complies with all Fifa statutes and regulations when recruiting players.”
Fifa deems there to be different levels of infringement on the regulations regarding minors, with the most serious being a breach of Article 19. Behind that there are less serious ones, some administrative, such as the failure to request authorisation through the correct channels.
Fifa’s principle, which it has established, is that – irrespective of the number of minors involved – a systemic breach of the rules is so serious it should entail a transfer embargo. The amount of cases affects the severity of the sanction but, if a club has a low number, Fifa believes it should not mean it avoids a ban. It is also understood that Fifa worries that a one-window suspension does not create harmful consequences; it can be worked around with sufficient planning.
Chelsea have argued that they had an option agreement, registered with and approved by the FA and Premier League, to secure Traoré’s registration after he turned 18 and which allowed them to play him in what were in effect considered trial games. In 2010 the club reached a settlement with Lens, which was ratified with Cas, to avoid a two-window transfer embargo that stemmed from the signing of Gaël Kakuta.
Fifa says it does not comment on ongoing investigations nor can it confirm whether an investigation is ongoing.
The Barcelona investigation was triggered by a newspaper article about the club’s signing of Lee Seung-woo – “the South Korean Messi” – aged 13. An employee at Fifa TMS read it and thought the deal might be in breach of the regulations. TMS would uncover 31 cases of potential transgressions and the independent panel would find Barcelona guilty on all 31. The club’s appeals failed and they were banned from two windows in 2015. Lee is now at Verona in Serie A.
Real’s case started at Fifa TMS in October 2013 and in January 2016 they were found guilty of violating the rules on the registration of 39 minors. They had been investigated on 70. Cas would uphold 37 of the guilty verdicts but reduced the ban to one window – January 2017 – because the infringements were deemed to be less serious than those of Barcelona.
Atlético’s numbers were the most startling in Spain, partly because of a partnership with Dalian Wanda Group, the Chinese property company. It saw many Chinese players coming to train at their academy. Fifa considered 183 cases in its final judgment; 153 would be confirmed. Atlético served their ban across both windows of last year.
GETTY Peter Crouch has emerged as a shock target for Chelsea
Chelsea news LIVE updates: All of the latest updates from Stamford Bridge Thursday January 18 Silva expects Richarlison to stay 22:15: Watford boss Marco Silva insists prized assets Richarlison and Abdoulaye Doucoure will not be sold this month. Brazilian forward Richarlison has been linked with both Arsenal and Chelsea, while French midfielder Doucoure has impressed too. Silva told a press conference on Thursday: "What I can tell you is feedback I have from our board that of the most important players nobody will be leaving this month. "This is the feedback I have the last two months. With all the injuries it doesn't make sense if you sell some players. I hope to improve our roster - not sell our most important players." Chelsea line up shock Peter Crouch swoop 21:30: Chelsea are eyeing a surprise January move for Stoke striker Peter Crouch, according to reports. Chelsea are expected to bring in a striker in January to alleviate the pressure on out-of-form summer signing Alvaro Morata. However, an injury to West Ham forward Andy Carroll has reportedly seen Chelsea switch their attention to an even more unlikely target - Peter Crouch. The 36-year-old would be an experienced addition to their line-up but he will not come cheap having just signed a new deal with Stoke.
GETTY Carroll has been linked with a move to Premier League champions Chelsea
VAR was always going to be a challenge - Webb 20:45: Howard Webb has called for patience over the introduction of the Video Assistant Referee after a controversial launch of the system in English football. The VAR trial has been run in both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup this season, over a total of four live matches so far, with yesterday’s FA Cup third-round replay between Chelsea and Norwich littered with controversial decisions. Former Premier League referee Webb told Press Association Sport: "It's always going to be a challenge because the game is subjective. "We'll only get better and better the more we train with it, the more we establish benchmarks and become efficient. "People need to be a little patient, but overall I think most people would agree it's the right way forward to avoid those clear errors that can be consequential for the careers of players, managers, officials." Agent: 'Roma-Chelsea talks for Emerson' 19:45: Chelsea have entered talks to sign Roma star Emerson Palmieri, according to the Brazilian’s agent. Antonio Conte’s side were thought to be monitoring Palmieri, 23, as an alternative to Juventus defender Alex Sandro. And the player’s representative, Fernando Garcia, confirmed that transfer discussions are underway. “There’s nothing certain yet, we are in a phase of discussion and evaluation,” Garcia told Calciomercato. “Chelsea are a concrete possibility, absolutely. Now the two clubs are talking, we’ll see if they reach a positive conclusion. “I have no planned trips to Italy, at least for the moment, as we are waiting for developments. Obviously, Emerson would love to play in the Premier League and it’d be a dream to work with Conte, as he is among the best Coaches in the world.” Carroll move in doubt 18:45: West Ham striker Andy Carroll has an ankle injury and faces a possible lengthy absence. Carroll has been linked with a move to Premier League champions Chelsea, but now any move in January appears to be unlikely after a scan revealed the severity of the injury. Surgery is among the options being considered and, if 29-year-old Carroll underwent an operation he would be out for months, rather than weeks. Hammers boss David Moyes is likely to address the matter in his media conference tomorrow ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash at home to Bournemouth. Carroll has not played since January 4 against Tottenham.
GETTY Chelsea look to have lost out to Manchester United in the battle for Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez
Hammer time for Batshuayi 17:45: West Ham are leading the race to sign Chelsea outcast Michy Batshuayi, according to the bookies! Batshuayi has struggled to convince Antonio Conte that he’s worthy of a role in his starting XI, despite netting against Norwich yesterday. And bookmakers BetStars think David Moyes’ West Ham, who will be without injured striker Andy Carroll for months, will offer him an escape route. “The Blues striker has been lined up as a replacement for the seemingly Chelsea-bound Andy Carroll at the London Stadium and the Hammers are the clear favourites at 2/1 to become the Belgian hitman’s next club. Meanwhile, Sevilla are priced at 3/1 to offer Batshuayi a fresh new start in La Liga,” said BetStars director of trading Ian Marmion. Seri transfer latest 17:00: Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and City are all battling to sign Jean-Michael Seri from Nice. At least that is what the Mirror claim this afternoon. Seri, a target of Barcelona last summer, has impressed in Ligue 1. He has a £35m release clause and the Premier League quartet are all supposedly chasing him. The report claims United are leading the way for the Ivory Coast international. The 26-year-old supposedly wants a move to the Premier League. Antonio Conte fumes 16:30: Antonio Conte admitted he was not best-pleased with Alvaro Morata after Chelsea’s FA Cup win over Norwich. "If there is diving it is right to give a yellow card," said the Italian. "I don’t want an advantage, especially if you know there is this system. If someone gives a punch or an elbow, you must also pay great attention. "I am not happy with the second yellow card for Morata. The first was for a doubtful situation, but I haven’t seen it again. "The second yellow card was for dissent. You must pay great attention at this moment of the game to stay calm and to make the best decision."
Chelsea transfers: Which stars are most likely to sign? Tue, January 16, 2018 Which stars are most likely to sign for Chelsea this transfer window, according to Football Whispers (1 = less likely, 5 = most likely) Play slideshow Chelsea FC via Getty Images 1 of 8 Who are Chelsea most likely to sign before the end of the transfer window?
Jean Michael Seri interest 16:00: Chelsea are ready to battle it out with Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain for Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri. That’s according to The Sun, who say Antonio Conte wants to further bolster his squad following Ross Barkley’s Blues move. Seri has forged a reputation as one of the top talents in Ligue 1 and was linked with Barcelona last summer. And it seems his performances have turned Chelsea scouts’ heads as they look for prospective signing. Andy Carroll vs Alvaro Morata 15:30: Dennis Wise reckons Andy Carroll isn’t the right player to compete with Alvaro Morata at Chelsea. "He’s a handful on his day, but no he’s not the answer," the Blues legend told Sky Sports. "The reason being is because he doesn’t play enough games and doesn’t score enough goals and from that point of view, no. "Chelsea like a striker that goes in behind and stretch teams. "Would Andy be satisfied with going there knowing he’s not going to be a regular? "He’s not for me. I think there’s more out that will score more goals and really push Morata." Eden Hazard to Real Madrid? 15:00: Chelsea star Eden Hazard is being targeted by Real Madrid as they look to replace the BBC with the NHL. That's according to Spanish newspaper Marca, who say the La Liga giants want Neymar and Robert Lewandowski too. Hazard has long been linked with Real following his glittering displays at Stamford Bridge. And a move could happen this summer with Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo on their way out. Real are keen to add Neymar and Lewandowski to their squad as well as they freshen up their frontline.
West Ham want Batshuayi 14:00: David Moyes at at Stamford Bridge last night to watch Michy Batshuayi in action. Chelsea are open to offloading Batshuayi so long as they can get a replacement in. West Ham’s Andy Carroll has caught the Blues’ attention. And Moyes watched Belgian Batshuayi in action during the FA Cup clash with Norwich. The Hammers manager’s presence will only fuel speculation a shock swap deal for Carroll and Batshuayi could be arranged. Andy Carroll claim 13:00: Chelsea are wrong to target West Ham striker Andy Carroll. That’s the verdict of Sky Sports pundit Craig Bellamy. "He doesn’t have the mentality or drive to be a top player, to be at Chelsea levels or be at Liverpool for more than one season," he said. "I was surprised he was linked to Chelsea." Alexis Sanchez transfer joke 12:00: Chelsea target Alexis Sanchez has snubbed Manchester United to join… non-league AFC Totton. At least that’s what the English eighth-tier side have joked on their official Twitter account. "SIGNING: It's true, we've signed Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal, fending off interest from Manchester United!" they quipped, alongside a photoshopped graphic of the Chilean in a Totton shirt. Sanchez, in reality, looks set to join United with Old Trafford misfit Henrikh Mkhitaryan going the other way.
GETTY Eden Hazard is wanted by Real Madrid as they freshen up their forward line
