Eva Carneiro: Mourinho avoids witness box as Chelsea settle
Former club doctor thrashes out 'multi-million pound' deal in corridor at employment tribunal
It's not often the London South Employment Tribunal captures the nation's attention but that was the case on Tuesday, when Jose Mourinho made an unscheduled appearance in Croydon.
Manchester United's new boss arrived at the building with Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck to reach a settlement with the club's former doctor, Eva Carneiro, following her departure from Stamford Bridge last year.
The medic left the Blues in the wake of a touchline row with then-manager Mourinho after she had ran onto the pitch to treat Eden Hazard on the opening weekend of the season. Mourinho publicly criticised her after the game and dropped her from his match-day squad.
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Carneiro left the club soon afterwards but then sued Chelsea for constructive dismissal and accused Mourinho of "victimisation and discrimination", reports The Sun.
Her case began on Monday, with sensational allegations that she had rejected an out-of-court offer from the club of £1.2m.
Her lawyer, Mary O'Rourke, told the court that Mourinho had called her client a “daughter of a b****” in Portuguese during the match. That revelation may have prompted Mourinho - possibly at the behest of his new employers, Manchester United - to rush down to Croydon and embark on a damage limitation exercise.
According to the Daily Mail, a deal that could be worth as much as £5m was "hammered out in a corridor", as Carneiro "threatened to expose embarrassing texts and emails about her time working for the 'Special One'."
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Mourinho had been expected to appear as a witness to answer questions about his role in the incident, but will now avoid that embarrassing ordeal.
Chelsea's lawyer, Daniel Stilitz, was scheduled to cross-examine Carneiro on Tuesday but instead asked for the case to be dismissed.
"We are pleased to be able to tell the tribunal the parties have reached a settlement in this dispute in confidential terms," he said.
According to both the Sun and the Daily Mirror, Carneiro settled "for what is believed to be more than £1.2m". The Mail speculates she "may have walked off with £5m".
No apology from Mourinho was forthcoming, although he wished Carneiro a "successful career". Chelsea were more contrite in a statement they issued, saying: "The club regrets the circumstances which led to Dr Carneiro leaving the club and apologises unreservedly to her and her family for the distress caused. We wish to place on record that in running onto the pitch Dr Carneiro was following both the rules of the game and fulfilling her responsibility to the players as a doctor, putting their safety first."
A statement from Carneiro, who is now working in Gibraltar, expressed her relief that an agreement had been reached.
"It has been an extremely difficult and distressing time for me and my family and I now look forward to moving forward with my life," she said. "My priority has always been the health and safety of the players and fulfilling my duty of care as a doctor."
Eva Carneiro tribunal: Chelsea doctor rejected £1.2m payout
06 June
In his first major public undertaking since being appointed manager of Manchester United, Jose Mourinho is set to face allegations of sexism at the employment tribunal brought by Chelsea's former doctor Eva Carneiro against the club and her former boss.
The case, which is expected to last ten days, began in Croydon today and both Mourinho, the club's former manager, and director Marina Granovskaia will be called to give evidence.
Carneiro is claiming constructive dismissal against Chelsea and has a separate legal action against Mourinho for alleged victimisation and discrimination.
She left the club last year, in the wake of an incident in the first game of the season, when Mourinho reacted angrily after she and team physio Jon Fearn ran onto the pitch to treat Chelsea player Eden Hazard. It meant he had to leave the field at a time when the club, already reduced to ten men, were chasing the game.
Mourinho later criticised the medical team and stripped Carneiro of match-day duties. She left the club soon afterwards.
The opening day of the case heard a statement from Mourinho concerning his use of the Portuguese expression "filho di puta" – meaning son of a b****. In it, the former Chelsea manager admitted using the expression during the game, but said he used the words frequently to express anger and that they had "no sexist connotation".
Carneiro has claimed she "clearly heard" Mourinho shout "filha di puta", the female version of the insult, which could only have been directed at her personally.
"An expert in Portuguese swear words" will study the evidence, says the Evening Standard, which adds that "a number of clips will need to be reviewed by the tribunal".
Carneiro’s barrister, Mary O'Rourke, is a Manchester United season-ticket holder, notes the Daily Telegraph.
Chelsea have taken Mourinho's side, even though both parties have now left the club.
At the start of the case, Chelsea hit back at Carneiro, reports the Daily Mail, claiming she had rejected a £1.2m pay-off and made "extravagant" demands. "The former club doctor allegedly also asked for a 40 per cent pay rise to £400,000 to return to work, plus bonuses and compensation for 'distress' caused by the club and its ex-boss," says the paper.
Chelsea braced for courtroom drama as Eva Carneiro sues
30 October 2015
Former Chelsea team doctor Eva Carneiro, who left the club in acrimonious circumstances after a high-profile row with Jose Mourinho, is to sue for constructive dismissal.
The Spanish-born doctor has not reported for work since the incident on the opening weekend of the season and officially left the club last month.
Chelsea have so far failed to agree a severance package with Carneiro, and it means the "Carneiro saga is set to become a courtroom drama", says the Daily Telegraph, with a high-profile and potentially embarrassing tribunal on the horizon unless the two sides can come to an agreement.
This unedifying affair has set the tone for what has been an acrimonious campaign for the defending Premier League champions.
With the score at 2-2 late in the game against Swansea, Mourinho was furious when Carneiro was called onto the pitch to treat Eden Hazard, as it meant that the player then had to leave the pitch, temporarily reducing Chelsea to ten men.
He was seen berating the doctor and afterwards he publicly criticised Carneiro and physio Jon Fearn. Carneiro did not return to work after the incident.
Mourinho was later cleared by the Football Association of using discriminatory language towards Carneiro on the touchline, but she subsequently released a statement criticising the governing body over its investigation.
Now, Chelsea's efforts to draw the episode to a close appear to have been derailed. Legal papers were served on the Blues earlier this week as the three-month deadline for submitting a claim approached.
"Although there is still scope for compromise to be reached, the ramifications of the fallout have added to the sense of chaos at Chelsea over what has been a traumatic season," says The Guardian.
The affair has not reflected well on the Blues, with most supporters and governing bodies supporting Carneiro, saying she was simply fulfilling her medical duties.
"The controversy has led to Fifa considering introducing new regulations banning managers from interfering in medical matters and punishing those who do," adds the Telegraph.