Uefa charges Chelsea's Drogba and Bosingwa over Barcelona rumpus

May 22, 2009, 15:00 GMT

London - Uefa charged Chelsea players Didier Drogba and Jose Bosingwa on Friday for insulting the referee during their defeat by Barcelona in Champions League football earlier this month.

Chelsea were also charged with improper conduct of their players and the throwing of missiles by their supporters.

Chelsea have the chance to respond to the charges and Uefa says it will deal with the case on June 17.

Drogba and Bosingwa reacted angrily at the end of their defeat by Barcelona on the away goals rule, furious that referee Tom Henning Ovrebo had rejected four penalty appeals.

Drogba and several Chelsea players, including Michael Ballack, surrounded the referee at the end of the game, with Ovrebo reportedly needing to be escorted out of the country for his safety.

'Drogba and Bosingwa are accused of being in breach of the principles of sportsmanship by insulting the referee by making offensive comments,' Uefa said in a statement.

Bosingwa told Portuguese television station RTP: 'I don't know if he's a referee or a thief,' before apologizing the next day, having been forced to by Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink.