Mourinho: Matic ban a mistake

London - Jose Mourinho believes the credibility of English football has been damaged by the handling of the Nemanja Matic and Ashley Barnes incident.

Blues midfielder Matic will miss Sunday's League Cup final against Tottenham after his sending off in last weekend's Premier League clash with Burnley, when he took exception to a challenge by Barnes which Mourinho later called "criminal".

Mourinho has spoken of a "clear campaign" against his Chelsea side this season and thinks the fact Matic was banned by the Football Association but Barnes escaped punishment undermines English football's long-standing fair-play status.