UEFA charged Didier Drogba and Jose Bosingwa with misconduct yesterday for insulting the referee after Chelsea's elimination from the Champions League.

UEFA also charged the club with failing to control the players as well as fans who threw objects.

Drogba and Bosingwa breached sportsmanship by making offensive comments about Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo, UEFA said in a statement.

late equaliser

Ovrebo denied several penalty appeals in the 1-1 draw with Barcelona in a semi-final at Stamford Bridge on May 6. Barcelona scored a late equaliser to advance to the final on away goals and will play Manchester United in Rome on Wednesday.

Chelsea and the two players must file statements to UEFA by May 29. UEFA's disciplinary panel will hear the cases June 17.

It can ban the players from Champions League matches and make Chelsea play behind closed doors.

Drogba approached Ovrebo in a finger-waving outburst and was pulled away by security staff and Chelsea coach Guus Hiddink while yelling an expletive toward a television camera.

Portuguese defender Bosingwa compared Ovrebo to a "thief" in a post-match television interview.