Further selection crisis for Mourinho as Ramires misses rest of season.
The FA have served Chelsea midfielder Ramires with a four match ban for elbowing Sunderland’s Sebastian Larsson during their Premier League clash last Saturday.
Ramires banned for four games after accepting violent conduct charge http://t.co/uWSVu0Jety
— The FA (@FA) April 24, 2014
The referee didn’t spot the incident at the time but English football’s leading authority have subsequently punished the Brazilian for violent conduct.
Ramires has accepted the ban and therefore will play no further part in the Blues’ league campaign – at a time when manager Jose Mourinho is suffering something of a selection crisis.
Mourinho has already claimed he would like to field a weakened side against Liverpool in their top of the table clash on Sunday.
This is because the west Londoners have the second-leg of their Champions League semi-final with Atletico Madrid the following Wednesday and the 51-year-old wants to keep his best players fit for that game.
Top-scorer Eden Hazard is unlikely to be risked against the Reds, whilst there are fitness concerns over Samuel Eto’o and Oscar and Petr Cech and John Terry are both out.
Also for the game with Atletico, Mourinho will also be without Nemanja Matic and Mohamed Salah (both cup-tied) and Frank Lampard and John Obi Mikel (both suspended).
Ramires will of course be able to play against Atleti at Stamford Bridge, but the South American can only influence their European exploits now until at least next season.
Read more Chelsea transfer news.
COMMENTS