Man Utd may appeal Jones ban

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says the club may appeal Phil Jones' two-match ban for using abusive language towards a doping controls officer following the Europa League final.

The England defender, who was also fined €5,000, will miss the Uefa Super Cup match against Real Madrid next week and United’s first Champions League group stage match in September.

Daley Blind was also fined €5,000 on the same charge. Blind wanted to celebrate with his team-mates after the 2-0 win over Ajax in Stockholm on 24 May, while Jones was keen to be included in a special photo commemorating the victims of the Manchester terror attack.

Mourinho accepts that an appeal to Uefa runs the risk of a further suspension, but the Portuguese has urged the 25-year-old to consider contesting the charge before Thursday's deadline.

"I would, if I was him I would," Mourinho said after United's 2-1 pre-season win over Sampdoria in Dublin. 

"Because I think it's quite unfair. But when you do that you have the risk of even more punishment. I don't know, it's a decision I leave with him.

"Put yourself in his position.

"He wins a European cup, he wants to celebrate with his team, he wants to get the cup, he wants to get the medal, he wants to be in the pictures, and one doctor wants to close him in a small room because of the doping control.

"I think it's very hard to control a player in this situation and Uefa should take that into consideration."

Manchester United meet Real Madrid in the Uefa Super Cup on Tuesday, 8 August, [kick off 7.45pm Irish time] a match that will be shown live on BT Sport on the eir sport pack in Ireland.

Photo Getty Images/ Julian Finney

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