Not clever, not bending the rules, it's called cheating

Gary Birtles was indignant during his role as match summariser for the Ajax v Real Madrid Champions League tie, "If they say that's the way the game is then I don't know what to think apart from the fact I want no part of it."

Having watched Xabi Alonso take 22 seconds to take a free kick, which incidentally he didn't get the chance to take as the only Scottish referee putting in a full shift on Wednesday night sent him off, we watched Sergio Ramos preparing to take a goal kick. Quite why Ramos was taking the kick in the first place was a mystery, Casillas didn't appear to be injured and yet Ramos rolled his socks up and down, straightened his hairband and got his marching orders for his second bookable offence. He even had the balls to shake the referees hand as he passed on the way to the bench.

Mourinho knew what he was doing, we knew what he was doing and he knew we knew what he was doing. Alonso and Ramos were having the slate wiped clean, by being banned for the final group match they would benefit from the UEFA rule which says that once the maximum number of bookings is reached it cannot be carried forward to the knockout stage. If they had only been booked against Ajax and then both played and got booked against Auxerre then they would have been suspended for the first round of knockout matches.

Arsene Wenger commented on his blog, "You never say it doesn't cross your mind but when you see how it looks on television it is the best demonstration to think 'never do that again. It looks, frankly, horrible. It's a pity to see that from a big club."

UEFA have now launched a full investigation into the affair, if they go to the extent of their powers there could be a ban for Mourinho, Alonos, Ramos, Casillas and Dudek (the messenger carrier) from the first round of knockout games. Given that Real Madrid have been knocked out seven years in succession in the first knockout round that really would be a shame wouldn't it?