Jose Mourinho: ex-Chelsea & Man Utd boss banned for confronting English referee in UEFA Europa League final

Jose Mourinho has been banned for four matches by UEFA for confronting the English referee Anthony Taylor after the UEFA Europa League final.

Mourinho lost his first ever European final in May when Sevilla extended their record in Europe’s second-tier competition by beating the Serie A side 4-1 on penalties. The Roma boss has now been charged with using insulting or abusive language and has been banned for four matches following the incident in a car park after the game where the 60-year-old boss directed a foul-mouthed rant at the English referee.

Both clubs also faced several charges due to their fans’ and players’ conduct during the match and Roma have now been banned from selling tickets to their travelling fans for one European game next season as well as being fined €55,000 (£47,300) after they were charged with throwing objects, lighting fireworks and improper conduct of the team.

Mourinho’s suspension means that he will now miss the club’s start to their Europa League campaign next season after finishing sixth in Serie A.

What happened in the UEFA Europa League final?

Anthony Taylor was repeatedly called to the benches in order to take action as the fourth official Michael Oliver struggled to keep control. 13 yellow cards were issued to the players by Taylor in the match, the most bookings in a Europa League game with seven of them given to Roma players, a record for a final.

The match ended in a 1-1 draw following an own goal from Roma’s Gianluca Mancini and Paulo Dybala but the now seven-time champions were victorious in the end after winning the penalty shoot-out 4-1.

Mourinho then went on to criticise Taylor in his news conference and was later pictured confronting the English referee and other officials while they boarded a minibus in the car park. The former Chelsea boss repeatedly swore and was twice heard shouting about a ‘disgrace’ before talking in Italian.

The verbal abuse did not then stop, however, for Anthony Taylor as his family were then shouted at by angry Roma fans in Budapest Airport with one person subsequently charged with affray.

What has been said?

Following the charges, UEFA have said they “vehemently condemned” the “violent behaviour” directed towards Taylor and his family adding that “such actions are unacceptable and undermine the spirit of fair play and respect that UEFA upholds.”

A statement was also released by the referees’ body PGMOL and the Premier League saying they were “appalled” at the abuse of Taylor and his family, with the Premier League also adding that “no-one should have to suffer the inexcusable behaviour they had to endure.”