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Jose Mourinho has admitted an improper conduct charge following his dismissal against Cardiff but questioned Anthony Taylor's decision to send him off, according to ESPN.

The Chelsea manager was quoted as saying:

As Mourinho suggests, his admission of wrongdoing should leave the Chelsea boss with a fine and allow him to return to his dugout duties for Saturday's crunch Premier League game against City.

The incident arose after Taylor warned Branislav Ivanovic against time-wasting at a throw-in.

This provoked a fiery response from Mourinho, who felt Cardiff's players had been guilty of persistent time-wasting themselves, prior to Chelsea's lead.

He was critical of the Welsh side's approach, as Dominic Fifield outlined in The Guardian, insisting their delaying tactics were a waste of money to fans.

Mourinho claimed it took Cardiff "a median of 21.5 seconds" to put the ball back in play, which he felt is breaking the rules.

Mourinho's sending-off forced him to watch the closing stages among the fans, which only endeared him further to the Stamford Bridge faithful.

Such an episode is certainly not uncommon for the Special One, who will often deliberately steal the attention in an attempt to reduce the pressure on his team.

His side faced a tough trip away to Schalke on Tuesday, in their third Champions League tie, but went into it without the usual levels scrutiny.

Having already lost at home to FC Basel, another defeat would have complicated their hopes of qualification, putting them six points behind the Germans.

However, Chelsea ran out comfortable 3-0 winners, perhaps helped by the media glare being focused on Mourinho and well away from the team.

The much-maligned Fernando Torres registered a brace, and Eden Hazard scored what was surprisingly his first Champions League goal, as Chelsea re-established themselves in Group E.

While he may seem distinctly unimpressed by this whole process, increased adoration from fans while his side quietly record two key wins will leave Mourinho quietly satisfied with recent events.

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Portugal World Cup Roster 2014: Updates on 23-Man Squad, Starting 11 Projections

Portugal head into familiar territory as they prepare for a two-legged playoff against Sweden for a spot in the 2014 World Cup.

In qualifying for both the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championship, they had to get past Bosnia and Herzegovina in a playoff. While Portugal were able to do so, you can't be happy to see this happen for a third time in a row if you're a supporter.

They finished second in Group F in UEFA qualifying. Russia were just a point ahead and already have their place in Brazil booked.

Portugal aren't one of the best teams in the world, but they have far too much talent to have this scenario rear its ugly head again. They drew at home with Northern Ireland and drew home and away to Israel. Turn any one of those draws into a win and Portugal are top of the group.

Instead, their hopes rely on stopping Zlatan Ibrahimovic and breaking down a tough Sweden side. It's far from a guarantee that Portugal will do so.

Paulo Bento's fate as national team coach hangs in the balance. Should he get through, he may stay on, as it's far too late to try to integrate a new coach's style and have him decide on a final lineup. For better or worse, the Portuguese Football Federation has hitched its wagons to Bento.

Only time will tell if that was the right move.

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Comparing the Clasico Records of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

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Both enjoy astonishing overall records for Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively, but how do Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo fare when the rival clubs meet in El Clasico?

The Argentine has played Real Madrid twice in the Champions League: 14 times in La Liga, five times in the Copa Del Rey and on four occasions in the Spanish Supercopa.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, has met Barcelona twice in the Champions League (not including the three times he played them in Manchester United colors), eight times in the league, five times in the Copa Del Rey and four times in the Supercopa.

Based on the numbers, Messi's record is clearly superior to that of the Portuguese, as he enjoys a winning percentage of 44 percent and an average of 0.72 goals per game, compared to Ronaldo's winning percentage of 25 percent and strike rate of 0.6. 

The Barcelona No. 10 has also been far more prolific in assisting his teammates, setting up 10 more goals than his Madrid counterpart. 

Ronaldo could (and probably would) argue that he has closed the gap somewhat in recent times, however, as in the last six games between the Spanish giants (including both legs of the Supercopa), he has scored six times to Messi's five.

The Argentina captain is currently tied with Alfredo Di Stefano as the all-time top scorer in El Clasico, while in October, 2012, Cristiano became the first player to score in six consecutive Barcelona-Real Madrid matches.

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Llorente Fast Becoming Irrelevant for Juventus and Spain

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Fernando Llorente is 28 years old.

Muscular and an imposing figure at 6'5", he has been remarkably durable throughout a professional career now in the early days of its 12th season.

Nicknamed El Rey Leon—“The Lion King” in Spanish—during his time with Basque giants Athletic Bilbao, the bearded, floppy-haired striker should be enjoying his prime years and positioning himself for a starting berth in the Spanish national team as the 2014 World Cup approaches.

But Llorente has never been much concerned with the present.

No, his focus has typically been somewhere else—some place off in the distance or, as he divulged in a Tuesday interview with Marca, even in his past.

“There was a real interest,” revealed the now-Juventus forward regarding Real Madrid’s supposed approaches for him several years ago.

“[Madrid] tried to sign me a couple of times, but Athletic wouldn’t let me leave so it was impossible.”

By the summer of 2012 it was clear Llorente was angling for a move away from SanMames. With only a year remaining on his contract he assumed—ultimately incorrectly—that the club would cash in on him rather than let him leave for nothing the following July.

Juventus had turned his head and were thought to be mulling a €20 million bid for his signature. But instead of negotiating with the Serie A winners, Athletic offered Llorentea new pact, although as soon as it became clear he had no intention of remaining at the club a once-fruitful relationship shrivelled quickly.

On October 1, 2012—two days after a 2-0 defeat at home to Basque rivals RealSociedad—Llorente, already training with the reserves at Athletic’s Lezama complex, had an altercation with manager Marcelo Bielsa and stormed off the pitch during the middle of a session. (ESPN FC)

Having been used exclusively as a substitute to that point due to a perceived lack of commitment,Llorente would have to wait a further seven weeks before finally playing from the beginning in a Primera Division match againstDeportivo.

It was one of just four La Liga starts he would make in a season that yielded just five goals in all competitions—a far cry from the 29 he had posted the previous campaign.

Having spent nine months as a bench player at Bilbao, and bitter from the experience of it, Llorente could have hardly been expected to hit the ground running when he finally joined Juventus during the summer. And while expectations for his adaptation to the squad were modest, he has so far failed to reach even those.

Coming into Sunday’s match away to Fiorentina he had played just over 30 minutes from four Serie A appearances, and while he was given the full 90 in which to make an impression at Stadio Artemio Franchi he managed only a single shot at goal and was largely unimpressive as Juventus suffered their first loss of the season.

“The training is more demanding [atJuventus],” he told Spanish outlet ASon Tuesday, via Football-Espana. “It is barbaric...The workouts are brutal.”

Arriving in a team in which ingratiating himself to manager Antonio Conte was always going to be difficult (Conte, more than most managers, picks his teams from a small group of players he trusts within the squad), so far it seems as though Llorente has been doing anything but.

Although he took part in a full pre-season with the Bianconeri he has nevertheless played fewer minutes than each of Carlos Tevez, Mirko Vucinic, Fabio Quagliarella and Sebastian Giovinco. And when he has been given a chance he has done nothing to convince Conte he deserves another—underachieving to the point where a loan move away from the club, possibly to Arsenal, has been bandied about, as per the Mirror:

But instead of buckling down and making a case for himself, Llorente has merely revisited those old Madrid rumours while complaining about the training regimen atJuventus.

His story, quite unfortunately, is fast becoming one of what might have been—the accomplishments, both at club and international levels, that might have been realized had he been as bothered with the here and now as the past and future.

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Jose Mourinho Will Accept FA Fine, Says Referee Was Right to Shut Him Up

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Jose Mourinho has admitted an improper conduct charge following his dismissal against Cardiff but questioned Anthony Taylor's decision to send him off, according to ESPN.

The Chelsea manager was quoted as saying:

As Mourinho suggests, his admission of wrongdoing should leave the Chelsea boss with a fine and allow him to return to his dugout duties for Saturday's crunch Premier League game against City.

The incident arose after Taylor warned Branislav Ivanovic against time-wasting at a throw-in.

This provoked a fiery response from Mourinho, who felt Cardiff's players had been guilty of persistent time-wasting themselves, prior to Chelsea's lead.

He was critical of the Welsh side's approach, as Dominic Fifield outlined in The Guardian, insisting their delaying tactics were a waste of money to fans.

Mourinho claimed it took Cardiff "a median of 21.5 seconds" to put the ball back in play, which he felt is breaking the rules.

Mourinho's sending-off forced him to watch the closing stages among the fans, which only endeared him further to the Stamford Bridge faithful.

Such an episode is certainly not uncommon for the Special One, who will often deliberately steal the attention in an attempt to reduce the pressure on his team.

His side faced a tough trip away to Schalke on Tuesday, in their third Champions League tie, but went into it without the usual levels scrutiny.

Having already lost at home to FC Basel, another defeat would have complicated their hopes of qualification, putting them six points behind the Germans.

However, Chelsea ran out comfortable 3-0 winners, perhaps helped by the media glare being focused on Mourinho and well away from the team.

The much-maligned Fernando Torres registered a brace, and Eden Hazard scored what was surprisingly his first Champions League goal, as Chelsea re-established themselves in Group E.

While he may seem distinctly unimpressed by this whole process, increased adoration from fans while his side quietly record two key wins will leave Mourinho quietly satisfied with recent events.

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How AC Milan Will Line Up Against Barcelona

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It's perhaps the most important game of Milan's season on Tuesday as they face Barcelona yet again in the Champions League group stage.

This time around in the teams' seventh meeting since 2011, Massimiliano Allegri's men are in poor form, having won only three of their first eight games in Serie A. The script for the past few years has been similar, with a plethora of Rossoneriplayers out with injury, with fans doubting the innovative brilliance of Milan's supposed state-of-the-art MilanLab.

Against Barcelona, Allegri will line up in his usual 4-3-3 formation, where it's predicted that Riccardo Montolivo will play as a No. 10 to give Milan a more defensive mindset in the center of the park.

Between the pipes, Christian Abbiati's injury will mean that the inconsistent Marco Amelia will start from the first minute. Interestingly enough, one of Amelia's best games came a few years ago against Real Madrid in the Champions League.

The defense will see Philippe Mexes back in the lineup while he's currently serving a four-game suspension in Serie A for punching Giorgio Chiellini. He'll have his usual partner Christian Zapata alongside him, with the speedy Ignazio Abate on the right and converted winger Kevin Constant on the opposite flank.

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Christian Zapata and Philippe Mexes will have their hands full with Lionel Messi

Despite Abate's flaws, his searing speed is a welcome attribute against a team like Barcelona that field a lightning-quick attack consisting of Alexis Sanchez, Neymar and the immortal Lionel Messi.

Needless to say, there's quite a mismatch right there.

The midfield three will have the most rigorous job in the world, having to contain the famed tiki-taka and negate Barcelona's suffocating high pressing.

Nigel de Jong will be Milan's defensive midfielder and could even shift to the back like he has previously when Allegri's men need more steel. Alongside the former Manchester City man, expect to see the box-to-box midfielder Sulley Muntari, who is Milan's top scorer in Serie A with three goals, and the versatile Andrea Poli.

Here's where it gets interesting. Even though Allegri told La Gazzetta dello Sport that there are promising signs in Mario Balotelli's recovery, he's still listed as questionable for the match against Barcelona with a muscular injury to his thigh.

If he doesn't start, expect to see Robinho playing a free role around Alessandro Matri, who has been woeful so far since joining from Juventus in the summer. He's still looking for his first goal with Milan and has been whistled mercilessly by the San Sirofaithful.

There's also a chance that the surprising Valter Birsa will get the nod from the beginning. If this is the case, then Montolivo will move back to the midfield and AndreaPoli will most likely sit on the bench.

Either way, it'll take a gargantuan effort from Allegri's men if they want a repeat of that stunning 2-0 home win against Barcelona last season.

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Analysis of South American Qualifying and World Cup Predictions for Each Team

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The marathon South American qualifying process for World Cup Brazil 2014 is almost complete. 

All that remains is the intercontinental playoff between the team that finished fifth, Uruguay, and the fifth-place team from the Asian confederation, Jordan, which takes place over two legs on November 13 and 20.

If Uruguay can come out on top of that challenge, they will join Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Ecuador, the teams who claimed the first four places in the South American table, in the World Cup finals draw.

Here I will analyse the performance of each nation throughout the campaign, and assess the chances of those who have made it to the big show next year (or in Uruguay's case, are still in the running to make it).

Brazil, of course, qualified automatically as hosts, and will most likely go into the tournament as favorites following their strong performance at the Confederations Cup last June.

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Power Ranking the World's Top Wingers on Form

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The position of winger is one that has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years. The growing popularity of 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 lineups has meant that this once-neglected position has again become one of the most important on the pitch. 

Some of the biggest teams in the world, and certainly all four of 2013's Champions League semi-finalists, are notable for their extensive use of wide men, either in the midfield or as attackers, who amply utilise the flanks. Proof, if any was needed, that wingers are still key in modern football. 

Taking nine top wingers, this group has been judged statistically in three areas: number of goals, assists, and their effectiveness in picking up points for their team. To ensure consistency across the selection, only domestic league and Champions League games will be included in the count. 

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Andros Townsend Reportedly Accused of Backtracking over Roy Hodgson Monkey Joke

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Graham Smart, editor of the Scottish Sun, has told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweekprogramme that the England player who leaked information of Roy Hodgson's much-publicised monkey joke is annoyed at Andros Townsend for backtracking over the incident.

Per ESPNFC, Smart confirmed that his source was indeed a player and insisted that several other players were unhappy with Hodgson's comments at the time.

Smart said of his source:

He was angry about Andros Townsend tweeting the following day [to say he was not offended] because he assures me Andros was upset by it.

The following morning [after the Poland game] I got a call from an England player who wasn't very happy at all about what had gone on in the dressing room.

I said to the player, "Do you think this is a good idea to go public? Is there not another way for you to go through with this? Should you not go to the FA about this? Have you spoken to Roy?"

He said no, he wanted to go public and that he wasn't the only player who was upset. They had agreed they wanted to go public with it.

Since the incident, Townsend has described Hodgson's comments as "a compliment", per BBC Sport, while Hodgson put the misunderstanding down to a generational difference.

However, with it now emerging that the joke was only explained after Hodgson had used the phrase "feed the monkey", per Smart, it is clear where the misunderstanding occurred.

Smart is insistent there was more than one player upset with the comment, although those he has spoken to agree that the words were "taken the wrong way." Both Townsend and Wayne Rooney have insisted likewise, tweeting in the 24 hours following the incident:

Indeed, many in the media chose to criticise the anonymous player who leaked the story, including the Mirror's Brian Reade. The latest revelations add some light to why the need was felt to go public.

The England manager's comments, while a simple misjudgement of those in the room, were poorly advised at best if not initially uttered as part of the joke.

In today's society, calling any black player "a monkey" in any context is liable to leave you open to accusations of racism—regardless of the context.

Hodgson may be of an older generation, but he is an intelligent man and will surely admit that he was initially careless with his choice of words.

However, with the FA having investigated the incident and Townsend insisting that there was no offence taken, it is now time to move on from the controversy.

Smart's comments have revived the debate several days after the initial furore. However, with all parties directly involved content to accept there was no racist intent to the comments, there is little more to be said on the matter.

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Argentina World Cup Roster 2014: Updates on 23-Man Squad, Projected Starting 11

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After finishing in first place in CONMEBOL qualifying, Argentina proved that they will be legitimate contenders at the 2014 World Cup.

While the South American table was certainly easier to win without Brazil—the host country did not need to qualify—Argentina took care of business with its outstanding offense. The squad outscored opponents 35-15 in 16 matches.

Expectations are now as high as ever after moving up to No. 3 in FIFA's world rankings.

Now the focus shifts to next summer, where manager Alejandro Sabella will have to find the best combination of players that can bring home the first World Cup title since 1986. 

Here is a look at who will get a ticket to Brazil and which stars will make up the starting 11 to try to lead Argentina to victory. 

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Serie A Table 2013 Week 9: Updated Standings and Predictions for Matchday 9

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Two Serie A powerhouses faced off over the weekend when AS Roma played Napoli, and it ended with the league-leading Roma squad pulling out a 2-0 victory to further extend their lead over the second-place club.

But that was only the beginning of the action from Week 8. AC Milan was able to pull out 1-0 victory over Udinese as they aim to get back to the top of the table after starting out slow. 

Meanwhile, Juventus' 4-2 loss at the hands of Fiorentina has them tied for the second-most points, but Napoli is second on goal differential. Inter pulled out a 3-3 tie against Torino, but will be without Samir Handanovic, who got a red card early in the match.

Let's take a look at how all of the action impacted the Serie A table and break down Matchday 9's biggest upcoming showdowns.

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Crystal Palace's Game Against Fulham Already Has Feel of a Pivotal Encounter

Crystal Palace return to Selhurst Park desperate for a second win of the season
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While the weekend’s Premier League action understandably fixated on contests involving the A-list clubs with ambitions of silverware come the end of the season, the final game of the schedule arrives, somewhat overlooked and unloved, with perhaps the most weight to it.

Fulham will arrive at Selhurst Park on Monday evening having picked up seven points from their opening seven games, a somewhat meagre return that has inevitably had some pundits predicting a relegation battle for Martin Jol’s men.

The hosts, Crystal Palace, are in even worse shape however, with their only three points of the season coming in a home victory against the league’s bottom club and current disaster zone, Sunderland.

Most recently, of course, there have been comfortable losses to Swansea and Liverpool—180 minutes in which fans saw little to believe their side will stay up for the first time in five attempts.

It had always been expected that Palace would be embroiled in a fight simply to survive this season, but manager Ian Holloway remains confident he can keep the Eagles in the division.

This despite an incoherent start to the campaign that has seen crucial point-scoring opportunities—away to Stoke and at home to a Swansea side that had just been to Spain in the Europa League—squandered.

Holloway has previous experience of a relegation battle, seeing Blackpool slip back into the Championship in 2011. Both sides rose to the top flight via the play-offs, a route that only makes planning for Premier League opposition harder.

“There were things I got wrong with Blackpool,” Holloway admitted this week, as per the Daily Mail.

“I made mistakes, I got too involved and too emotionally charged. I did not make the best use of the January transfer window—but I have learnt from that.

“The challenge facing the team that comes up through the play-offs is as big as it has ever been. Sam Allardyce should be given a medal for keeping West Ham up last year. We have to finish first of the bottom four.”

If Palace are to beat three other teams and achieve that aim, then early indications are that Fulham might have to be one of them. Martin Jol’s side are blessed with some mercurial talents—Dimitar Berbatov, Bryan Ruiz, Adel Taarabt, to name three of the most obvious—which has marked them as an enjoyable spectacle for football’s cognoscenti, but similarly lacking in a backbone of reliable talent that would make them viable contenders for the top half.

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Why Borussia Dortmund Match Will Be Vital to Arsenal's Champions League Progress

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In his pre-match media conference, Arsene Wenger called this Champions League clash with Dortmund an “80 percent” game. Should Arsenal manage to beat the German side, they will be approximately 80 percent of the way towards qualification. 

There is some logic behind Wenger’s numerical guesswork. A win would take Arsenal to nine points, six clear of Dortmund. With three victories from three games and a very winnable home tie with Marseille still to come, Arsenal would be all but certain of progression to the knockout phase. 

However, it’s all easier said than done.

This is a significant match for Dortmund too—not least because they’re returning to the city where they lost the 2013 final to rivalsBayern Munich. Dortmund also have bad recollections of the Emirates Stadium: they lost 2-1 there during the 2011/'12 season. The Germans will be keen to banish two sets of traumatic memories and leave with all three points. Having already lost against Napoli, every point is precious for Juergen Klopp’s side.

For their part, Arsenal have a relatively good record at home to German sides in Europe. In 13 games against German opposition in London, Arsenal have won nine times. However, the Bundesliga’s recent resurgence suggests that the tide is turning.

With both teams desperate for the points, the indications are that this should be an exciting encounter. Arsene Wenger is inclined to agree. Speaking to the club’s official website, he said:

What they give you, the German teams, is they have a desire to play. They play with a positive attitude and they have produced as well many good players recently.

It makes it always an open game because they don't hide. We don't hide, so it should be an exciting game on Tuesday.

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There are many individuals for whom this is a particularly big game. Tomas Rosickyfaces the club he played for between 2000 and 2006. Wojciech Szczesny will line up against two of his Polish international teammates: Jakub Błaszczykowski and RobertLewandowski. Meanwhile, Arsenal’s German contingent, featuring the likes of MesutOzil, Per Mertesacker and Serge Gnabry, will be especially keen to impress against their countrymen.

Arsenal have not failed to get out of the group stage since the 1999/2000 season. However, Group F is arguably the toughest draw they have ever faced. 

Should Arsenal beat Dortmund at the Emirates Stadium and edge to the brink of qualification, Gunners fans will rightly see it as yet another sign that their team is emerging as a serious contender for silverware this season.

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