AS Roma manager Jose Mourinho has been handed a 10-day suspension and fined €50,000 (£43,000) as punishment for his comments about referee Daniele Chiffi.
The suspension will begin from the first day of the next relevant championship, as announced by the Italian Football Association (FA).
Mourinho, 60, labelled Chiffi as “the worst referee I have met in my life” following a match against Monza on 3 May. The incident occurred after Chiffi sent off Roma’s Mehmet Zeki Celik during stoppage time in a Serie A 1-1 draw at U-Power Stadium. Mourinho himself received a yellow card during the game.
In a surprising revelation, Mourinho disclosed that he had been wearing a microphone during the match to “protect” himself. This disclosure adds an intriguing twist to the incident, highlighting the tensions and frustrations that can arise between managers and officials in the heat of the moment.
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Last season proved to be a challenging one for Mourinho on the touchline, as he received three red cards for disputes with officials, including one issued by Chiffi during a loss against Atalanta in September.
Despite the disciplinary issues, Roma finished sixth in Serie A and were the runners-up in the Europa League, narrowly losing in a penalty shootout against Sevilla. With the new Serie A season set to commence on the weekend of August 19-20, Mourinho’s suspension will impact his availability during the early stages of the campaign.