Chelsea interim manager Roberto Di Matteo on Friday demanded changes to the Football Association's disciplinary procedures after his club were unable to overturn Branislav Ivanovic's violent-conduct charge. Di Matteo believes the FA were wrong to find Ivanovic guilty of striking Wigan midfielder Shaun Maloney, while Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli escaped a charge of his own despite making a studs-up challenge on Arsenal's Alex Song.
Ivanovic has been handed a three-match ban, ruling him out of Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham, following the FA's decision to use retrospective video evidence to charge the Serbian defender after the clash with Maloney last weekend. Di Matteo is convinced the FA's procedures are leading to inconsistency when making decisions that affect clubs' seasons.
"I think everyone is looking for consistency in their decision-making. That's what is most important for everybody, all the stakeholders involved - consistency," he said. "They would have to review the decision-making and the way they give these bans, and hopefully come up with a more balanced outcome."
Di Matteo also wanted video evidence used more widely, adding of the Ivanovic incident: "You look at the images and you think: 'We're using video footage for that, okay, but we don't use goal-line technology'. "Why not? If we're using it for that, why can't we use it for the goals? So that's why it has to be reviewed. There has to be a more balanced look at it.
"And that's what they have to look at in the summer." Chelsea's decision to contest Ivanovic's charge risked an extra match being added to his suspension. Di Matteo said: "We didn't think it was violent conduct or a frivolous appeal. "We are disappointed that his appeal has been dismissed, so there is nothing else we can do."
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