Champions League Semi-final: Confused Mourinho Claims Penalty

Jose Mourinho last night launched a bizarre tirade about a penalty that never was and never should have been. The Chelsea manager, often criticised for his querulousness, complained at length about the failure of the referee, Markus Merk, to award a penalty when Alvaro Arbeloa used his arm to control a mishit clearance - a certain handball. However, Mourinho failed to take into account that the Liverpool right-back had been two feet outside the penalty area.

"I don't understand how we don't have penalties," he told Sky television, reprising a theme he had opened on Sunday after a ball struck Stephen Carr's arm in the goalless draw at Newcastle United. "When the penalties are so clear, I don't understand. I go for the facts and it's a fact.

"In the Champions League this season we have good referees and to be fair to Mr Merk he was comfortable. But the penalty is a big chance for us to be 2-0. Then it would be a completely different game and a different story. I feel it is not fair."

He added that controversy had cost his side in the teams' last Champions League semi-final meeting in 2005 when a goal was awarded even though William Gallas appeared to have cleared Luis García's shot from the line.

"They had their mistake but it was not a penalty," he said of last night's incident. "I hope after the second leg we are not crying and thinking again about a big decision. Two years ago we were. I hope we are not looking back on the penalty."

He later tempered his comments but they had been particularly strong. Rafael Benítez was dismissive. "If he says it was a penalty, I am sure it was a penalty," he said with unmistakeable irony.

The pair pursued the spat that has been a diversion from the often dreary football between the teams. Mourinho believes Liverpool have the advantage in the return because his side's title-chasing endeavours will require maximum application against Bolton on Saturday. "In two days' time Liverpool play Portsmouth and it is not an important game for them," he said, having previously claimed that Liverpool had played "only four games" in 2007 because of their inability to compete for the title. Beni­tez was again dismissive, saying: "We are playing against Portsmouth and someone says that is not important but we will try to win."

Benítez retains belief in his team's chances of reaching the final because they were the last team to beat Chelsea, 2-0 at Anfield on January 20. "I don't know who's favourite," he said. "We need to win against a good team that likes to counter-attack. But we have the supporters there. We want to win and the last result between the teams gives us a good feeling."