José Mourinho, the coach of AS Roma, will be deprived of a bench during the first two days of the Italian championship next season for having insulted a referee, the Italian Federation (FIGC) announced in a press release on Wednesday.
The FIGC Disciplinary Committee handed the Portuguese a ten-day suspension from the start of the 2023/24 season. Serie A resumes the weekend of August 19 and 20.
José Mourinho is sanctioned for having said of referee Daniele Chiffi, who officiated during Roma’s trip to Monza on May 3 in the league, that he was “the worst referee that (he) have (t) ever met in his career”.
“He’s terrible, he makes no human connection and feels no empathy,” he said of him. Both men had words during and after the match, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
The coach and his club will also each have to pay a fine of 50,000 euros.
José Mourinho will also miss AS Roma’s first four matches in the Europa League next season in application of a sanction decided by UEFA for having insulted another referee, the Englishman Anthony Taylor, who was at the whistle during the Europa League final lost on May 31 against Sevilla FC (1-1 ap, 4-1 tab).