Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink has claimed that referee Mike Jones was too harsh when showing John Terry a second yellow card during his side's 3-2 defeat to Sunderland this afternoon.
The 35-year-old, whose contract expires this summer, will be suspended for the final two games of the campaign after picking up his second red card of the season late on at the Stadium of Light.
Hiddink admitted that he was unsure whether Terry's appearance will be the last of his 18-year spell with the club, but believes that the referee was wrong to give him his marching orders.
When asked whether Terry had played his last game, Hiddink told reporters: "For the club, I don't know, but it's sad, of course, that he was sent off for a second yellow, and it's the second sending-off, which by the rules means he will suspended [for both games]. I think the referee was too close to the incident.
"Normally we say, 'Referee, be close to what can happen', but I think he was too close and an impulsive reaction made him draw the yellow card. With a little bit more distance, 10 yards more, he could have thought, 'Hey, these two guys went intensively for the duel' - it was an intense game and he has to consider a bit the intensity of the game and this duel as well. He was too close, for me, and took too harsh a decision.
"We don't know what [Terry's] future is at this moment but for this season, it's sad because it would have been lovely to have had in our last game at home, the Leicester game, the champions and have a very nice party game, let's call it that, and it's sad that he is not participating in that."
Terry has made more than 700 appearances for the club since making his debut in 1998.
Barney Corkhill
