Chelsea: José Mourinho Banned About To Be Sacked

So Chelsea fans, do you want the bad news, the awful news, or the terrible news first?

On Saturday, Mourinho’s Chelsea lost at Stamford Bridge to the maybe-sorta resurgent Liverpool, 3-1. It was Chelsea’s third loss in six games at home this season; in their previous 99 games at Stamford Bridge under Mourinho, they only lost once. The loss leaves them adrift in 15th place, 10 points off even a Champions League place.

This morning, a report emerged that Mourinho will be fired after this weekend’s game against Stoke. Sacking rumors have swirled around Mourinho for at least a month, but this is the first time they’ve been attached to a credible source: Dan Levene, a freelance Chelsea reporter who is about as reliable as it gets. Here’s what Levene has to say:

I hear he could have gone on Sunday – but, like previous sackings, Chelsea are choosing their moment. They want an opportunity that minimises the damage caused to the club. That means balancing the risk that a Mourinho side increasingly riven with divisions continues to lose games, with a moment to give his replacement the longest possible run-up at a debut match.

Sense says, discounting a complete disaster against Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday, that the axe will fall after Stoke on Saturday evening.

If Mourinho is indeed fired after Stoke, he might not even be there to witness it. Today the Football Association handed Mourinho a one-game ban and £40,000 ($61,694) fine, after he was red carded for saying something to referee Jon Moss during halftime of a loss against West Ham two weekends ago. While Chelsea have a midweek match against Dynami Kiev, it is part of the Champions League competition, so his ban won’t be served until Stoke. Mourinho could still appeal the ban, and thus be on the bench for his reported beheading.

Finally, remember Mourinho demoting team doctor Eva Carneiro and giving aBS reason for it? After failing to agree upon a severance package with Chelsea, Carneiro brought a “constructive dismissal” claim against them to the employment tribunal. As part of that claim Carneiro is suing Mourinho, likely for sex discrimination. The FA previously cleared Mourinho of using discriminatory language towards Carneiro—lip readers have him yelling “son of a bitch” and other things at her—but haphazardly did not interview her during their “investigation.”

Eva Carneiro, the long-serving Chelsea first team doctor, has been a staple of the team’s matches. And just for good measure, yesterday BBC radio presenter Garry. Richardsonreported that one Chelsea first-team player told him, “I’d rather lose than win for [Mourinho],” and according to The Secret Footballer, Cesc Fàbregas isleading a “mini-revolt” against Mourinho.