• League Cup

Mourinho accuses Spurs players of diving

ESPN staff
February 27, 2015
Pochettino: Tottenham deserved more

Jose Mourinho has accused Tottenham players of diving to get opponents booked and called on them to cut out the theatrics for the League Cup final on Sunday.

The Chelsea manager has complained in recent months of a "campaign" against his side when it comes to refereeing decisions, and very much remained on-message about what he perceives as victimisation of top scorer Diego Costa, following the suspension for an adjudged stamp in the semi-final against Liverpool.

Asked if he hoped the officials would not be the focus after Sunday's match, Mourinho said: "I don't believe anyone involved in this game doesn't want to do their best. I believe all three teams [Chelsea, Spurs and the match officials] will go with the same ambition to do very well.

"Hopefully, even the players that like to complicate things, even these players try to make the final a big final.

"[I'm talking about] the players that dive looking for fouls, players that dive looking for cards, the players that almost every two or three matches are simulating and pretending they were under aggression.

"You know exactly the same as I know. We are in the same industry and the same country. You don't need me to say names because you know the same as I know."

Spurs striker Harry Kane was accused of going to ground "softly" by Sam Allardyce to win an added-time penalty against West Ham at the weekend, while Mourinho suggested Jan Vertonghen had fooled referee Mike Dean into getting Fernando Torres sent off last season.

Mourinho took a dig at Vertonghen earlier this week by saying the difference between the Belgian defender and his Spurs team-mate Fazio is that the Argentine does not try to "give cards to the opponents".

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho speaks to the press ahead of the League Cup final © Getty Images
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