Now UEFA rap Chelsea boss

UEFA today criticised Jose Mourinho for claiming he had inside knowledge about Pierluigi Collina taking charge of tomorrow's Champions League match against Barcelona.

The first leg was overshadowed by a row about whether Frank Rijkaard visited the dressing room of referee Anders Frisk during half-time of Barca's 2-1 win a fortnight ago.

Mourinho said he knew Collina would officiate in the second match before the decision had been made and that earned a stinging rebuke from UEFA director of communications William Gaillard.

Gaillard said: "We didn't really appreciate Jose Mourinho saying at the beginning of the week that we had assured Chelsea that Collina would be refereeing the game. It is not true.

"He was trying to put pressure on us. We had decided in a certain way, which was to appoint Pierluigi Collina even before we considered the incidents. It made it very difficult for us to do so.

"Some people were arguing that if we do so we're bowing to pressure from Mourinho. If we don't do so, then again we're being influenced in appointing someone else when we wanted to appoint Collina. Frankly we don't like coaches or anyone from a team telling us which referee we should appoint. This is not within the fair play spirit that we want in the game.

"He should stop picking out which referees he likes and which he doesn't like. We all have to calm down now and make sure a different spirit benefits the game."

European football's governing body have been left to work their way through the series of controversies which marred the first leg.

"We're still waiting for Chelsea to explain why they didn't come to the press conference and why they were late at half-time," Gaillard added.

The ill feeling between the two clubs has grown over the past fortnight and Ronaldinho today hit out at Mourinho.

The FIFA world player of the year said: "People don't like the things Mourinho says. I prefer to do my talking on the field. I don't listen to what people say before or after a game."

Barcelona's Brazilian striker said he can see no way back for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, declaring the Spaniards as "100 per cent" certainties to reach the last eight.

He said: "We have a better team than Chelsea and I'm certain that we will score at Stamford Bridge to take us through."