Mourinho and Preciado escape punishment

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MADRID - Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho and his Sporting Gijon counterpart Manuel Preciado have escaped punishment over a row they had in November after the Spanish football federation (RFEF) decided no action was needed.

The federation was asked to take appropriate disciplinary measures against the pair by a Spanish government commission that seeks to combat violence and intolerance in sport.

The commission argued their row, which boiled up after Preciado was incensed by Mourinho's suggestion that his team had not made a serious attempt to beat Barcelona earlier in the season, had risked creating a hostile atmosphere around Real's La Liga match at Gijon.

Gijon said on their website on Wednesday the RFEF's competition committee had decided the coaches' statements did not merit punishment.

The committee had, however, urged all those involved in football to "moderate their statements", the club added.

Several La Liga coaches, including Villarreal's Juan Carlos Garrido and Espanyol's Mauricio Pochettino, backed Preciado.