Former Chelsea team doctor Eva Carneiro appeared at a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.
The tribunal hearing for her constructive dismissal case against reigning Premier League champions Chelsea took place in private at the London South Employment Tribunal in Croydon.
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Carneiro is suing Chelsea for breach of contract and constructive dismissal after former manager Jose Mourinho publicly criticized her actions during the opening game of the season -- Chelsea drew 2-2 with Swansea City and Carneiro ran on the pitch late in the game to treat the injured Eden Hazard, an action which momentarily left the Blues with only nine-men -- and then demoted Carneiro and physio Jon Fearn.
The duo were no longer allowed on the bench and had their duties with the first team altered by Mourinho.
Carneiro subsequently left her role with Chelsea and has since filed a separate but connected legal claim against Mourinho, alleging the Portuguese manager of discrimination.
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The role this situation played in Mourinho’s downfall at Chelsea must not be underestimated as the former manager came under huge criticism for the way he handled Carneiro and although Chelsea’s poor results on the pitch ultimately led to his dismissal as boss on Dec. 17, 2015, just seven months after delivering the PL title, the legal proceedings hanging over the heads of both him and the club were all his doing.
Expect to hear plenty more about Carniero’s court appearances in the coming weeks as both sides were unable to reach an agreement with a full hearing expected later in 2016.
