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Chelsea: Referee used ‘inappropriate language’

Oct. 29, 2012 - 19:36 By Korea Herald
LONDON (AP) ― Chelsea accused referee Mark Clattenburg of directing “inappropriate language” at two players Sunday in its 3-2 Premier League loss to Manchester United, and lodged an official complaint.

Clattenburg sent off two Chelsea players in the game at Stamford Bridge and allowed a Javier Hernandez’s contentious late winning goal that appeared to be offside.

“We have lodged a complaint to the Premier League match delegate with regards to inappropriate language used by the referee and directed at two of our players in two separate incidents in today’s match,” Chelsea spokesman Steve Atkins said. “The match delegate will pass the complaint to the Football Association.”
Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney (center) celebrate during their English Premier League match on Sunday. (AP-Yonhap News)

The Professional Game Match Officials Board, which oversees topflight referees in England, said in a statement that it is “aware of the allegations and they are being treated with the utmost seriousness.”

“Mark will cooperate fully and welcomes the opportunity for the facts to be established,” the statement added. “No further comment will be made until this matter has been properly investigated.”


Spain

BARCELONA (AP) ― Radamel Falcao scored again and Atletico Madrid beat last-place Osasuna 3-1 on Sunday for its eighth straight victory to keep pace with Barcelona at the top of the Spanish league.

Real Madrid bounced back from its Champions League loss at Borussia Dortmund by strolling to a 5-0 win at Mallorca, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain each scoring twice.

Atletico has won 11 straight matches in all competitions ― including the Europa League ― and extended its club-record unbeaten run to 22 games dating to April.

Falcao scored his 10th league goal and 13th overall of the season to seal the victory at Vicente Calderon stadium. Only Barcelona’s Lionel Messi with 13 goals and Ronaldo with 11 have scored more in league play than the Colombia striker.

Elsewhere, Obafemi Martins scored twice in Levante’s 3-1 home win over Granada, Real Zaragoza won consecutive games for the first time this season by beating Sevilla 2-1, and Athletic Bilbao’s troubles mounted at San Mames stadium with a 2-1 loss to Getafe.


Germany

BERLIN (AP) ― Bayer Leverkusen ended Bayern Munich’s record season-opening Bundesliga winning streak at eight, winning 2-1.

Sidney Sam scored in the 87th minute to give Leverkusen its first victory in Munich in 23 year.

“The win won’t throw us off,” said Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes, who previously coached Leverkusen.”We’ll have to learn our lessons from it though.”

Bayern defender Jerome Boateng deflected the ball past his helpless goalkeeper after being struck in the face by Sam’s header from Gonzalo Castro’s cross. The goal was awarded to the Leverkusen winger.

Stefan Kiessling opened the scoring for Leverkusen in the 42nd minute. Retreating Bayern defender Philipp Lahm could only help on Andre Schuerrle’s cross, ricocheting off the striker’s shin beyond goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. It was Leverkusen’s first shot on goal.

Mario Mandzukic briefly pulled the home side level with his league-leading eighth goal of the season in the 78th after being set up by substitute Claudio Pizarro.

It was Bayern’s first loss at home since falling 1-0 to Borussia Dortmund in November 2011.

Meanwhile, Borussia Moenchengladbach scored three goals in 9 minutes for a 3-2 win in Hannover.

“It can happy quickly in football,” said Moenchengladbach coach Lucien Favre, whose side ended Hannover’s 22-game unbeaten run at home. Moenchengladbach also won on the previous occasion.

Also, Stuttgart beat high-flying Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 to claim its first home win in the Bundesliga.


Italy

MILAN (AP) ― Defending champion Juventus extended its unbeaten Serie A streak to 48 games with a contentious 1-0 victory at 10-man Catania in which the Sicilian side had a goal disallowed.

Catania thought it had taken a first-half lead, but Gonzalo Bergessio’s strike was ruled out after almost a minute of deliberation. The reason for the disallowed goal was not immediately clear ― either offside or for a handling offence.

In the aftermath of the decision, Catania President Antonino Pulvirenti was banished from the bench and in the ensuing 5 minutes five of its players were booked as tension between the sides rose.

Then, Nicklas Bendtner appeared in an offside position in the buildup to Arturo Vidal’s second-half goal for the Serie A leader. Giovanni Marchese was sent off in the 67th minute after receiving his second booking to cap a miserable day for Catania. The stadium rocked with chants of”Thieves! Thieves!” from the disgruntled Catania fans at the end of the games.

Napoli remained in second place, three points behind Juventus after Marek Hamsik’s strike in a 1-0 win over Chievo Verona. Inter Milan was another point back after beating Bologna 3-1 on goals by Andrea Ranocchia, Diego Milito and Esteban Cambiasso.

Roma blew a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at home to Udinese. Erik Lamela scored twice in as 2 minutes, but Udinese drew level through goals from Maurizio Domizzi and Antonio Di Natale. Di Natale then stepped up to score on a late spot kick. Fiorentina missed a penalty, but beat nine-man Lazio 2-0.