JOSE MOURINHO has branded Dele Alli’s one-match suspension as “unfair”.
The Tottenham midfielder will miss tonight’s Premier League clash with Manchester United after he was punished for posting an offensive video on social media site Snapchat.
But Spurs boss Mourinho believes others have got away with far worse in lockdown — including himself.
He said: “I don’t think he deserves a one-match ban.
“Lots of people made mistakes during this lockdown period. I am one of the examples.
“In my case I believe it was a very, very, very small mistake that was not reported in the right way.
“But lots of people in football, and even outside football, made lots of mistakes. I don’t like these kinds of contradictions.
“I feel that it’s for everybody or it’s for nobody. It’s quite unfair for a kid who made a mistake and apologised for it.”
MOURINHO ADMITS ‘MISTAKE’
Dele was also fined £50,000 and sent on a racism educational course after appearing to mock coronavirus and an Asian man.
Mourinho was spotted flouting lockdown rules by appearing to take midfielder Tanguy Ndombele training in a North London park.
The Spurs chief claims he was showing his man how to use a GPS vest — even though Ndombele said his manager turned up at his flat for an impromptu fitness session.
Mourinho said: “It was nothing. We were working with the players at a distance. We were working with the players on Zoom. We were monitoring the players with wi-fi GPS.
“The pictures in the park, speaking with a group of young men, were players from another club. I was there at the right distance having a little talk with them.
“The pictures gave the idea I was with my players, which was not true. But it was still a mistake.”
SHREWD MOURINHO
Ndombele is fit to face United after struggling following his record £65million move from Lyon last summer.
And the Special One admitted it may be a while before Spurs can splash serious cash again.
He said: “I’m expecting my club to be very balanced and very honest in that approach.
“I expect us to do some little important things. If we improve in two, three positions that we need to improve, I am completely open to the challenge — let’s go for it.”
Tottenham face a fight to qualify for Europe, sitting seven points behind fourth-placed Chelsea and four below United.
Mourinho added: “It’s a second chance but we don’t start these nine matches with the same points as our opponents.
“Everyone has more than us, so it’s a difficult one.”
