Fallout from Burnley’s draw at Chelsea resolved by both clubs

Burnley have issued a club statement explaining that the fallout from Monday night’s draw at Chelsea has been amicably resolved.
Ashley Barnes and David Luiz face offAshley Barnes and David Luiz face off
Ashley Barnes and David Luiz face off

Tensions ran over towards the end of the 2-2 draw at Stamford Bride, with Blues boss Maurizio Sarri sent off, while injured Chelsea centre back Antonio Rudiger was involved with a spat with Clarets goalkeeping coach Billy Mercer.

David Luiz and Ashley Barnes also had words as they left the pitch after a running battle during the game.

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Sarri has been fined £8,000 by the FA after admitting a misconduct charge, but despite assistant Gianfranco Zola claiming Sarri was “offended” by Burnley backroom staff, the “clubs have drawn a line under the matter”.

ESPN FC reported that Sarri - who entered Burnley’s technical area on numerous times, and wandered up and down the touchline - was called a "s*** Italian" by several Clarets staff on the bench, not including boss Sean Dyche.

Zola said: “He's been sent off. I think he's been offended as well, so he didn't feel it was the right thing to do, to speak to you.

"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.

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"I think there will be a follow on that. Maurizio felt very unhappy.

“We understand it's a football game. You say words because of the adrenalin, but he wasn't particularly happy."

After the game Dyche laughed off any confrontation, saying it was: “hand bags, man bags, bum bags, I don’t know what you’re allowed to call it without offending anyone anymore.

“I don’t think anything of it.

“We are allowed to get a point every now and again at these places...”

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But Dyche explained he had spoken to Zola about Sarri repeatedly making his way into Burnley’s technical area: "He said at half-time he is not quite getting it.

"I said he was going over into my box. He just said he didn't quite get the reality of it -- they're bigger in Italy. Okay. He's been here a while, mind. I said fine and accepted it."

When asked about the exchange between the benches, with assistant Ian Woan involved, Dyche said: "I don't think the coaches' language skills are that good. It wouldn't have been a deep conversation. Woany's from the Wirral!”

The club statement reads: “Issues arising between both benches during Monday night’s @premierleague match at @ChelseaFC have been resolved between the coaches and clubs, and a line has been drawn under the matter.”