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Manchester City Boss Gets Uefa’s Two-Match Touchline Ban

Manchester City manager, Manuel Pellegrini, has been given an immediate two-match touchline ban by Uefa for criticising Swedish referee, Jonas Eriksson, after his side’s Champions League … Continue reading Manchester City Boss Gets Uefa’s Two-Match Touchline Ban


Manchester City manager, Manuel Pellegrini, has been given an immediate two-match touchline ban by Uefa for criticising Swedish referee, Jonas Eriksson, after his side’s Champions League match against Barcelona.

After the 2-0 home loss, Pellegrini told Eriksson that he was “not impartial to both teams”.

He has been charged with misconduct and will be in the stands for the second leg on March 12.

He will also miss one more match.

In a statement released by Uefa, the City manager would be banned for his team’s round-of-16 second leg against Barcelona in Spain on 12 March.

“This means that Pellegrini may follow the game from the stands only; he may not enter the dressing room, tunnel or technical area before or during the match; and he may not communicate directly or indirectly with his players and/or technical staff during the game,” the statement read.

In the first leg of the last-16 encounter at Etihad Stadium on February 18, the two teams were tied at 0-0 early in the second before Eriksson sent off City defender Martin Demichelis for a foul on Lionel Messi near the box.

Replays suggested the incident was just outside the box, but a penalty was awarded, which Messi duly converted. In the final minute Barca added a second through Dani Alves to take a two-goal advantage into the second leg at the Nou Camp.

In his post-match news conference, Pellegrini, 60, said: “From the beginning I felt the referee was not impartial to both teams.

“I think it was not a good idea to put a referee from Sweden in charge of such an important match, especially a referee who has made an important mistake against Barcelona in a previous match.

He pointed out that that kind of game needed a referee with more experience.