S**t Italian: FA to investigate insults at Chelsea Boss Sarri by Burnley

Fourth official Roger East stepping in as Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri and Burnley goalkeeping coach Billy Mercer clash during their English Premier League match at Stamford Bridge on Monday, while Blues assistant manager Gianfranco Zola watches - Reuters/TheStraitTimes

The Football Association will assess the referee Kevin Friend's match report from Stamford Bridge, before deciding whether to investigate claims lodged by Chelsea that Maurizio Sarri was repeatedly called "a s**t Italian" by members of Burnley's backroom staff.


The Blues manager was involved in numerous confrontations with those in the away technical area during Monday's fractious 2-2 Premier League draw, with frustrations spilling over in stoppage time as players clashed on the pitch.

Sarri was sent to the stands by the referee having run down the touchline, apparently to try and calm the situation, and appeared to point a finger at the Burnley goalkeeping coach Billy Mercer at the mouth of the tunnel as he departed.

It is understood that he heard members of the visitors' staff allegedly call him "a s**t Italian" on several occasions - the manager Sean Dyche was not involved.

Sarri skipped his post-match media conferences, with his assistant Gianfranco Zola confirming that his compatriot had been incensed by comments allegedly flung his way throughout the game.

"He's very frustrated. He's been sent off and I think he's been offended as well, so he didn't feel it was the right thing to speak," said Zola.

"He's frustrated at the game, frustrated at being sent off, and the other thing.

"I think he's been told something from their bench, but don't ask me exactly what. I don't want to go down that line, but we'll see what we can do about that.

"I think there will be a follow-up on that.

"Maurizio felt very unhappy. We understand it's a football game. You say words because of the adrenaline, but he wasn't happy." TheStraitTimes