Laporta blasts RFEF decision to lift Mourinho ban

Jul 11, 2012 8:17:00 AM

The ex-Blaugrana chief voiced his dismay at the federation's decision to remove the suspension imposed on the Portuguese coach, whom he feels was the sole wrongdoer in the case

Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta has criticised the decision made by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to revoke Jose Mourinho's ban ahead of the 2012-13 Supercopa.

Both the Real Madrid coach and his opposite number Tito Vilanova saw their suspension's lifted, which means they will be able to sit on their respective benches for the new season's curtain-raiser.

Mournho had been given a two-game for gouging Vilanova's eye during a touchline brawl in the 2011-12 Supercopa contest at Camp Nou, while the former assistant to Pep Guardiola was handed a one-match suspension for his role in the fracas.

Laporta has now indicated that he is against such a decision and insisted Mourinho's action does not deserve to go unpunished.

"It is clear to me that Mourinho is the assailant, but the rules say that there may be a pardon, and we must respect them," Laporta told Catalunya Radio.

"Mourinho acted with premeditation, his aggression was from behind. It is a completely improper and ridiculous action.

"Only Mourinho should have been punished, because Tito's reaction is normal when someone is trying to hurt you from behind."

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Real Madrid press conference - LIVE!

Catch the latest news from the Spanish capital as Jose Mourinho's time at Santiago Bernabeu nears its end. Get involved by sending us your thoughts via Twitter or Facebook! Hosted by Joe Wright.

6:32 PM BST

Club president Florentino Perez will lead proceedings tonight, with the press conference due to start properly at 20:00 CET. We'll have all the latest from the event as well as all the fall-out from any potential important revelations (which, you feel, might just include something to do with the man below...)

6:30 PM BST

Good evening and welcome to Goal's LIVE! coverage of Real Madrid's press conference from the Spanish capital. Could this be the end of Jose Mourinho's tenure at the club? Stay with us for all the latest!

11:45 PM BST

And on that note I will leave you all! I won't be back next week for another run of the Goal LIVE blog for the Champions League final, but fear not as the legendary Mark Doyle will be entrusted with the role of taking you through all the twists and turns as they happen at Wembley!

I've been Livio Caferoglu on a night in which Chelsea have been crowned European title victors for a successive campaign, and it's good night to you all. Ciao!

11:35 PM BST

More Benfica reaction now - this is what midfielder Nemanja Matic told reporters after the Eagles crashed to a heartbreaking 92nd-minute defeat at the Amsterdam ArenA earlier this evening:

"We played a good game. We played very well, we had more possession and played dangerously in Chelsea's box, but we lacked luck in the end. I can only congratulate Chelsea for the victory, but we didn't lack quality. I still think we played well, we were the best team. We had more control and opportunities to score, but had no luck. The best team doesn't always win."

11:30 PM BST

And last but CERTAINLY not least in the Chelsea corner, it's Branislav Ivanovic whose set-piece heroics in stoppage time clinched a second straight European title for the English giants - courtesy of ITV!

"It's a great feeling. This team deserved this, because we have had a very difficult season and a lot of games. In the end, today was a very hard game and Benfica played very well. But we scored from set pieces and work very hard preparing that part of our game. We deserve that trophy."

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