UEFA has charged Roma manager Jose Mourinho for using “insulting/abusive language against a match official” during confrontations with referee Anthony Taylor in the Europa League final. Mourinho and his staff were abusive towards Taylor during the defeat to Sevilla in Budapest. After the game, Mourinho directed a string of expletives toward the officials in the car park. Taylor and his family were also harassed by Roma fans at Budapest Airport. Clips on social media show a chair and bottle being thrown in the direction of Taylor and his group. Both Roma and Sevilla have been issued with further UEFA charges.
As per the analysis by Sky Sports, Jose Mourinho has been charged by UEFA for using “insulting/abusive language against a match official” following confrontations with referee Anthony Taylor during Wednesday’s Europa League final. The Roma manager and his staff were abusive towards Taylor numerous times during their defeat to Sevilla in Budapest.
After the game, footage on social media showed Mourinho directing a string of expletives toward the officials in the car park, labelling their performance a “disgrace”. Mourinho continued his criticism of the officials in his post-match press conference, stating, “I need to defend my lads, and I must say that we are used to it, but still seeing this kind of refereeing in a European final is really, really hard. It was an intense, vibrant game with a referee who seemed Spanish. It was yellow, yellow, yellow all the time.”
Taylor and his family were also harassed as they made their way home from the final on Thursday. Clips on social media show them being ushered out of a cafe and into a secure area by airport security after supporters hounded the referee following an ill-tempered final on Wednesday evening. The clips on Twitter show a chair and bottle being thrown in the direction of Taylor and his group.
A statement from Budapest Airport said criminal proceedings had begun against a man who had been charged with affray after the incident. Rather than backtracking from their criticism of Taylor, Roma doubled down, and their general manager Tiago Pinto told Italian media on Thursday, “We at AS Roma don’t want to raise doubts about Sevilla’s merits. We believe that with our opponents, we put on a great final and…”
Both Roma and Sevilla have been issued with further UEFA charges. The Italian club has been charged with “improper conduct of the team” after picking up five yellow cards and one red card during the match. Sevilla, on the other hand, has been charged with “improper conduct of the team” after picking up six yellow cards.
This is not the first time Mourinho has been involved in confrontations with referees. Throughout his career, he has had numerous run-ins with officials, and this latest incident is unlikely to improve his reputation. The Portuguese manager has a history of blaming referees for his team’s defeats, and this latest outburst only serves to reinforce that image.
UEFA is yet to announce a date for Mourinho’s hearing, but if found guilty, he could face a lengthy ban from the touchline. The incident at Budapest Airport is also likely to result in further sanctions for Roma, who have already been fined for their fans’ behaviour in previous matches.
To conclude, Mourinho’s confrontations with Taylor during and after the Europa League final have resulted in charges from UEFA, and both Roma and Sevilla have also been charged with improper conduct. The incident at Budapest Airport involving Taylor and his family is also likely to result in further sanctions for Roma. Mourinho’s reputation as a manager who blames referees for his team’s defeats is unlikely to be improved by this latest incident.
