Mourinho has been hit with a fresh blast from coach Raymond Domenech and defender Lilian Thuram as France refuse to back down in the row over the selection of midfielder Claude Makelele.

Chelsea insist they will not become embroiled in another unsavoury round of verbal sparring with the World Cup finalists even though Domenech and Thuram attacked the Portuguese coach for using the word 'slave' when talking about France's refusal to accept the player's retirement wishes.

Makelele told the French federation he wanted to quit international duty after their World Cup final defeat to Italy and underlined his decision in a letter to French officials on August 22 - two days prior to his call-up for France's Euro 2008 qualifiers.

Mourinho accused Domenech of treating Makelele like a 'slave' and his comments sparked a war of words which continues to rumble on.

Domenech now claims that Mourinho's use of the term 'slave' is both 'staggering and insulting' while Thuram insists the Chelsea coach was simply trying to be offensive.

Domenech declared: "To use that term is staggering. There are people who died to free themselves of slavery. To use this term is insulting. I did not give Makelele an option, I imposed his return."

Makelele played a part in France's 3-0 win over Georgia on Saturday but defender Thuram was equally unimpressed with Mourinho's vocabulary.

Thuram said: "If Mourinho can use a word like this, it means that he doesn't know what he is talking about.

"He didn't say it because he is stupid but merely because he doesn't know the meaning of this word.