Jose Mourinho fumes at 'lack of respect' after Chelsea's request to have Liverpool clash moved is snubbed by Premier League

• Jose Mourinho has accused the Premier League of a 'lack of respect'
• Chelsea boss wanted to move the Liverpool game to help his team prepare for the Champions League semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid
• Mourinho believes the Blues are the most important British team in Europe
• Chelsea boss has been charged with by the FA for  improper conduct after sarcastic remarks made after the Sunderland defeat
• The Portuguese ridiculed the idea he might want the Man United job
  

By Matt Barlow for the Daily Mail

Published: 17:04 EDT, 25 April 2014 | Updated: 18:51 EDT, 25 April 2014

Jose Mourinho was last night simmering on the subjects of ‘respect’ and ‘freedom’ after Chelsea’s attempts to move the title clash at Liverpool were flatly rejected.

Chelsea asked the Barclays Premier League, Sky TV and Liverpool if they would agree to hold the game today rather than tomorrow. While the broadcasters were said to be open to the idea, the Premier League ruled it out without consulting Liverpool.

Mourinho refused to retract his threat to rest players from the Anfield game, claiming Chelsea had not received the respect they deserved as England’s most successful European team of the last decade.

The Stroppy One: Jose Mourinho is fuming after his request to play Liverpool earlier was denied

Head to head: Mourinho has threatened to field a weakened team against Brendan Rodgers' (L) Liverpool

He also promised to help his rivals if the roles were reversed next year. ‘If next season Chelsea play an English team that is playing the Champions League semi-final two or three days later, Chelsea will accept to play the game one or two days before to give the English team more chance,’ he said. ‘We would be protecting English football without creating any problem for Chelsea.’

Mourinho’s ongoing dispute over  fixtures is, however, one of several  struggles with the authorities.

The Premier League are investigating his absence from some press conferences recently and he has until Monday to answer his third FA misconduct charge of the season, which relates to the sarcastic congratulations he offered to referee Mike Dean and referees’ chief Mike Riley after losing against Sunderland.

‘I can’t say the truth because I don’t feel free,’ said Mourinho, rekindling memories of the infamous ‘cuffed hands’ salute he aimed at the Italian FA during his time at Inter Milan. ‘I can’t speak. Every time I speak, there’s a consequence. Even when I think the referee is amazing, there’s a reason to be charged.’

The Chelsea boss stressed his priority would be Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid. The tie is goalless after the first leg in Spain.

‘I can’t lose more players,’ he added. ‘You think if I lose one more player, I have any chance to play the final?

Lost for words: Mourinho made a cuffed hands gesture to signify his censorship while manager of Inter Milan

In the dock: Mourinho and coach Rui Faria have been charged for incidents after the Sunderland defeat

‘I don’t think we have a chance. In attacking areas, if I lose one, I have another, but there are positions where I can’t lose one.

‘The most important thing for me is my club and the supporters. Chelsea fans would like Chelsea to get the respect Chelsea deserves.

‘They know what Chelsea has done for English football for the last 10 years.

‘Chelsea has been the most important club to defend this country in European competitions.

Blues brothers: Mourinho argues that Chelsea should be treated better as the most important English team in Europe, after winning the Champions League and Europa League

Title deeds: Chelsea travel to Anfield five points behind Liverpool with three game remaining

‘The last to be European champions, the last to win the Europa League, the club with the record of presence in semi-finals. Chelsea fans, they think Chelsea deserve more respect than they’re getting.

‘They want Chelsea to go to Liverpool and play, as always, at the maximum,  giving everything. With which players? That’s our decision, not your decision.

‘If we are not helped to try to follow our dreams and our objectives, it is one more reason for us to close, to think about us and only us.’

Dropping like flies: Petr Cech will not play again this season after dislocating his shoulder in Spain

Sidelined: John Terry will not play against Liverpool after limping off with an ankle injury against Atletico

Mourinho has claimed all season that English teams are disadvantaged  in Europe because they cannot move games around at will like their rivals, and  dismissed the fact that, this week, Atletico will also play Sunday and Wednesday.

‘Luckily for us, they have no choice,’ he said. Atletico’s fixture happens to be against Valencia, who played in a Europa League semi-final on Thursday. Otherwise, Mourinho thinks that the game would have been played today.

He acknowledged the sweetener for  English clubs came in the form of millions of pounds from Sky TV rights but added: ‘Maybe, one day, for seven, eight, nine, 10 years you don’t have a European champion or a team in the semi-finals and the people who pay the big sums says: “Eh, the big teams, the most important teams in Europe aren’t here”.

Bigger fish: Mourinho has made Chelsea's return leg against Atletico his priority after a goalless draw

Of the Liverpool game, he said: ‘We are going to try and win,’ but he has big  decisions in defence, where Tomas Kalas and Nathan Ake could be involved, and in goal, where he must choose between Mark Schwarzer and Henrique Hilario, who has not played for nearly three years. 

Selection will depend on the fitness of John Terry, Eden Hazard and Samuel Eto’o, all ruled out of the trip to Merseyside but who could be ready for Europe.

Ramires will not play at Anfield as he is banned for four games after flinging an arm into the face of Sunderland’s Seb Larsson.

‘He’s a lucky guy,’ said Mourinho changing the angle and making Ramires the victim. ‘In less than a minute, he was lucky [Lee] Cattermole didn’t break his leg, lucky that Larsson didn’t break his Achilles and lucky he only got four matches’ suspension. He’s a lucky guy.’

'Lucky guy': Brazilian Ramires has been hit with a four game ban after being caught lashing out at Sebastian Larsson

He declined to comment on Liverpool’s quest for their first title in 24 years and on the work of his friend Brendan Rodgers this year. These, he said, would be  delivered in private.

Nothing either on Daniel Sturridge sold by Chelsea last year or Luis Suarez, who Mourinho has dubbed the ‘King of the Penalties’ this season, other than a reminder to ‘check the stats’. Asked if he thought neutral fans were with Liverpool, he replied: ‘I’m not neutral, I’m Chelsea’ and asked if he thought Steven Gerrard deserved a winner’s medal, he replied: ‘Why? Many big players never won it.’

Despite his glum look, Mourinho insisted he had not lost his taste for English  football. ‘I love it, I love it,’ he said.

‘The fans, the stadiums, the yellow ball in winter, the white ball in summer, the FA Cup final with Hull City, the semi-finals with Sheffield United and Wigan.

Red hot! Luis Suarez has been dubbed 'The King of Penalties' by Mourinho this season

The Penalty King: Jose Mourinho has pointed out Luis Suarez's talent for winning penalties

Euro stars: The statitstics prove that Chelsea have been the best British team in Europe over the last 10 years

‘All of this is English football and I love English football.’

His love for Chelsea burns strongly, too, he added, ridiculing the idea he might fancy a move to Manchester United.

‘I don’t know how someone could think about it,’ Mourinho said. ‘I left Real Madrid specifically to come to Chelsea. I signed a four-year contract. I told Chelsea they never have to worry about me because I don’t want to leave. I stay here until the club wants me to leave.’