- Portuguese will miss season opener
- Criticised match official
- Already stung with UEFA ban
WHAT HAPPENED? The fiery Portuguese has been punished as a result of another referee rant. Daniele Chiffi was the official to incur his wrath during a 1-1 draw with Monza on May 3. Mourinho has revealed that he wore a microphone during that fixture in a bid to protect himself, but was still unable to bite his tongue.
WHAT THEY SAID?: Mourinho said of Ciffi: “I'm not stupid, you know. Today, I went to the game with a microphone. I recorded everything. From the moment I left the locker room, to the moment I returned. I protected myself. I stopped working [talking] 20-30 minutes from the end because I knew he would give me a red card for anything. I didn't give him the opportunity, I decided no, that's enough. He is horrible, he makes no human connection with anyone, he has no empathy, he gives a red card to a player who slips because he is exhausted at the 96th minute.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Mourinho will now sit out Roma’s season opener at the start of next season, while he has been handed a €50,000 fine and his club have been stung with a similar financial penalty.
IN A PHOTO:
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT? Mourinho has now been sanctioned twice in the space of a week – after collecting three red cards in the 2022-23 campaign – with UEFA having banned him for four Europa League matches as a result of his foul-mouthed outburst against Premier League referee Anthony Taylor following a penalty shootout defeat to Sevilla in a major continental final.