Abby Brammell

By Leo Spall and Daniel King

Point to prove: Chelsea's captain John Terry gestures to German referee Wolfgang Stark (left) during the match against Inter Milan


John Terry has run the risk of a UEFA ban after launching a scathing attack on the referees he blames for Chelsea's failures in the Champions League.


Chelsea captain Terry has called for the club to complain to UEFA after German official Wolfgang Stark turned down strong penalty appeals during their defeat by Inter Milan on Tuesday night - just as Norway's Tom Henning Ovrebo did when they were eliminated by Barcelona in last season's semi-final.

But in doing so, Terry has risked punishment by Europe's governing body for criticising the standard of refereeing and accusing Stark of 'disrespect'.

Terry's team-mates, Didier Drogba and Jose Bosingwa, received European bans for their reaction to Ovrebo's performance at Stamford Bridge.

But in the aftermath of defeat by Inter, Terry said: 'It was a bad performance from us but a really bad performance from the referee.

'It is not good enough at this stage of the competition. We were at home and we didn't get one decision. We do our best to get ourselves in this position and for two years running we get let down by bad refereeing. We need someone at the club to take it up with UEFA.'

Last season Ovrebo refused four Chelsea penalty claims against Barcelona and Stark did not point to the spot despite apparent fouls on Florent Malouda and Drogba during the first half at Stamford Bridge, where Inter's 1-0 victory gave them a 3-1 aggregate win.


Making a point: John Terry confronts an official as he goes down the tunnel following Chelsea being knocked out of the Champions League


Terry, who screamed at a linesman at the entrance to the tunnel after the final whistle, said: 'I'm not going to say the word conspiracy. But I'm so frustrated by what happened. The penalty on Didier was blatant and how the referee and the linesman miss those decisions frustrates me.'

Terry, the former England captain, claimed the referee failed to return the respect the FA's campaign of that name has encouraged players to show officials. 'When a decision didn't go our way I, as captain, went to speak to the German referee and he turned his back on me,' said Terry.

'We spend two years talking about respect and he does that and refuses to talk to me. I'm pulling and pushing our players away from him throughout the game and he turns his back.

'I wasn't shouting. I went to try to talk to him and when he wouldn't talk that is when I got frustrated. That is just pure disrespect.'


Face off: Chelsea's Michael Ballack screams at ref Tom Henning Ovrebo after he turned their late appeal for handball against Barcelona


UEFA may take a poor view of Terry's comments, especially given Chelsea's history of criticising referees. Sweden's Anders Frisk retired from the game after he received death threats from Chelsea fans in the wake of criticism by then manager Jose Mourinho in 2005.

Mourinho and Chelsea were fined for that incident, while Drogba was banned for three Champions League games and Bosingwa for two for their outbursts against Ovrebo last year.

But as manager Carlo Ancelotti considers shaking up his team for today's crucial Premier League game at Blackburn, Terry has called for referees to suffer the same consequences for bad performances as players.

Terry said: 'Players could lose their place in the team because of the Inter performance. But the referee last year was back in refereeing a week after our game.

'It has to be looked at. We are disappointed that we are not going through but I can't look any further than the referee's performance. If I get myself in trouble, then so be it.'


source: dailymail