By FRANCO PANIZO
If Jose Mourinho didn't receive enough punishment by seeing Real Madrid bounced out of the Champions League by arch-rival Barcelona, he surely has now.
Mourinho was handed a five-match suspension and fined about $81,000 by UEFA for his sending off during the first leg of the Champions League semifinal against Barcelona. Mourinho's suspension and fine also stemmed from his post-game comments after Real Madrid's loss to Barcelona, in which he claimed that UEFA was supporting Barcelona.
Having already sat out the second leg of the Champions League semifinals, Mourinho would continue to serve his ban next season when his team enters European play.
Real Madrid has indicated it will appeal UEFA's decision.
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Once Caldas shocks Cruzeiro in Copa Libertadores
Colombian club Once Caldas reached the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals by defeating Brazil's Cruzeiro, 2-0, on Thursday. The road victory gave Once Caldas a 3-2 aggregate win, and also left Santos as the sole Brazilian club left in the tournament as several Brazilian clubs were on the wrong end of surprising results.
Other results included defending champion Internacional being eliminated with a 2-1 loss to Uruguay's Penarol, Paraguay's Libertad topping Fluminense, 3-0, and Chile's Universidad Catolica beating Gremio, 1-0.
FFF to investigate race quotas
The French Football Federation (FFF) must love the spotlight.
Less than a year removed from a forgettable and scandalous World Cup, the FFF is set to conduct an investigation into the possible introduction of racial quotas in its national team program. France coach Laurent Blanc and technical director Francois Blaquart are at the center of the controversy, as they were recoreded discussing the possibility of limiting the amount of black players on the team last November.
Blanc and Blaquart's futures are in the air, and both are expected to be summoned to a hearing next week.
Bellamy plans to stick with Cardiff
Craig Bellamy is hoping to return to the Premier League next season, but only if it is with his current club, Cardiff City. Currently on loan from Manchester City, Bellamy said he wants to help Cardiff get to the Premiership, even if it doesn't happen this season. Bellamy has also stressed that playing for a team other than Cardiff - his hometown club - does not interest him.
Cardiff has a chance to secure third place in the Championship in its game against Burnley this weekend. Should Cardiff win, it would take on the sixth-placed team in a play-off match. There is also a possibility that Cardiff secures automatic promotion if leaders Queen Park Rangers are docked points for not following league rules.
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Think Mourinho's ban and fine are suitable punishments? Surprised so many Brazilian clubs crashed out of the Copa Libertadores? Can you picture the FFF being anymore screwed up than it is now?
Share your thoughts below.
