The European football governing body UEFA has suspended AS Roma manager Jose Mourinho for four matches after a series of verbal attacks directed by an English referee Anthony Taylor following the Europa Conference League final last month.
Mourinho has been banned from “the next four UEFA club competition matches in which he would otherwise participate, for directing abusive language at a match official”, European football’s governing body said.
Mourinho’s side lost to Sevilla on penalties as the La Liga club clinched a record seventh Europa League title. Unhappy with some of the controversial decisions made by on-field referee Taylor and VAR during the final which included a handball on Fernando that wasn’t awarded as a penalty, the Portuguese went on total outburst.
He went on a massive rant during the post-match conference before he was later videotaped in the car park of the stadium berating and swearing at the match officials as they made their way into a bus to leave the stadium.
The ex-Man United boss said Taylor “seemed Spanish” because he believed the veteran referee sided Sevilla in the game and branded his performance in the game a “f****** disgrace”.
The 60-year-old, who was seen in a state of fury during the match, was also critical of the decision to allow Gonzalo Montiel to retake the last penalty kick of the game which the Argentine had initially missed. The referee cited goalkeeper Rui Patricio’s encroachment as the reason for the replay.
Many people believed that Mourinho was complicit as Anthony Taylor and members of his family were confronted and hurled insults by hundreds of aggrieved AS Roma fans as they made their way into an airport in Hungary for a journey back home.
Roma have also been fined 50,000 euros ($54,744) and banned from taking away fans to their next European match “for the lighting of fireworks, throwing of objects, acts of damage and crowd disturbances”.
The Italian club were also fined 5,000 euros over the “improper conduct of their team” and ordered to “contact the Hungarian Football Federation within 30 days” to agree a settlement regarding damages caused by their supporters in the stadium.
West Ham were also fined 58,000 euros and cannot take fans to their first two Europa League away games next season following their Europa Conference League triumph over Fiorentina.
The Italian club’s captain Cristiano Biraghi suffered a head injury inflicted by a cup thrown by a West Ham supporter.
West Ham, who won the final 2-1 in Prague, were also sanctioned for a pitch invasion.
