Jose Mourinho's decision to speak about the controversy involving Chelsea's former doctor Eva Carneiro on a new Netflix documentary has sparked a furious backlash
Eva Carneiro and Jose Mourinho
Eva Carneiro and Jose Mourinho clashed in an infamous incident in 2015(Image: SKY SPORTS)
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Eva Carneiro has taken to social media after Jose Mourinho used a Netflix documentary to dredge up the infamous controversy from their time together at Chelsea.
Back in August 2015, Carneiro found herself at the centre of a storm of Mourinho's making. The Chelsea club doctor rushed onto the pitch during a match against Swansea to treat Eden Hazard.
Mourinho was furious as her decision to attend to Hazard left his side down to nine men. The Blues manager publicly called out his colleague, who was taken off matchday duties and later left the club. Carneiro later launched legal action for constructive and unfair dismissal alongside a personal claim against Mourinho, earning a settlement at a tribunal.
The incident is part of Premier League folklore and Mourinho spoke about it in a new self-titled Netflix documentary. The Real Madrid boss said it was "very, very simple", that Hazard wasn't really injured, that Carneiro was at fault and that his reaction was justified.
In the documentary, his version of events is backed up by Chelsea legend John Terry, who claims there was an "understanding" that only obviously bad injuries would need treatment from the medical staff.
Now Carneiro has had her say on X. "11 years on and here we are reliving the worst. Hope they made some money," she wrote along with a photo of herself while at Chelsea.
In a second post, she added: "We are bound by a medico-legal code of conduct. Genuinely it would be healthy for John Terry to learn the rules of the game. It’s been long enough mate #rulesofthegame #PremierLeague #EnglishFootball #MedicalGovernance #specialones."
Jose Mourinho - Eva Carneiro
Jose Mourinho has refused to apologise to Eva Carneiro(Image: BPI)
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Carneiro then shared a statement from the British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine, which explains the doctor's duty of care to patients. "When the medical team, at any level of football, are requested to attend a player by the referee, it is their absolute duty of care to attend and assess the player," it reads.
"This is governed by standards of medical practice issued by the General Medical Council (GMC). A club official should have no say in this matter and the stage of the game has no relevance on the decisions of the medical team acting within the GMC code of practice.
"To discourage a doctor's duty of care to an athlete shows a disregard for player welfare and good medical practice. It is important that all responsible bodies continue to engage with the medical profession in order to establish this principal across all levels of the game."
Carneiro then wrote: "So IT IS really simple. Referee Michael Oliver called us on TWICE, player Eden Hazard requested medical assistance we then made eye contact from side line and he confirmed he needed medical assistance, TWICE. At that point my hands are bound as a medical professional."
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho looks on as team doctor Eva Carneiro rushes to treat Eden Hazard during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Swansea City at Stamford Bridge on August 8, 2015
Eva Carneiro rushed onto the pitch to treat Eden Hazard(Image: Getty Images)
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Unsurprisingly, Mourinho thinks differently. “The story was very, very simple," he says in the film. “I’m not a doctor but my eyes know when a player is injured and when a player is not injured.
“I knew Eden was not injured but the doctors went on to the pitch and we were left with nine players. For me, a lady doctor is the same as a man doctor. So, as always, I used my vocabulary when I’m not happy.
“There are words in moments where the tension is very, very high. Normally, people with football culture, with football DNA or with a football background get over it in one second. In that case, it was different.”
Terry adds: “Medically, Jose would say unless it’s really, really bad, then they’re not coming on. That was the understanding of us as players, the medical staff, everyone bought into that. It was a big moment obviously and he took a lot of backlash for that.”