June 5 – Despite protesting that he deserved more and that his Roma team were hard done by, José Mourinho was charged by UEFA on Friday after being filmed swearing at English referee Anthony Taylor in a stadium garage following the Europa League final.
Footage circulated of Mourinho approaching Taylor and calling him a “disgrace” with an expletive.
Immediately following the game, Mourinho, not for first time blaming anyone but himself, had commented sarcastically: “The referee seemed like he was Spanish.”
UEFA said Mourinho had been charged for “insulting/abusive language against a match official” following Sevilla’s win on penalties.
It was Mourinho’s first defeat as a manager in six finals but totally merited on the balance of play, marked by his own players constantly surrounding Taylor for what they perceived as unjust decisions.
Taylor and his family were later disgracefully harassed by Roma fans at the airport in Budapest and required protection from airport security as they sought refuge in a safe area.
Reports suggested the potential link between the two incidents will mean Mourinho will get a more severe sanction than the minimum two-game touchline ban demanded by UEFA disciplinary rules for “insulting or directing abusive language at a match official”.
In a strongly worded admonition, UEFA said it “vehemently condemns violent behaviour” directed at the Taylor family and called on players, coaches and fans to respect referees.
UEFA also charged both teams with improper conduct after one of the most tetchy European finals of recent years. Taylor showed eight yellow cards to Roma players and officials, including Mourinho, and six to Sevilla.
Roma were also charged over crowd disturbances and acts of damage while Sevilla was charged because dozens of its fans invaded the field after the match and for fans throwing objects and lighting fireworks.
“UEFA stands firm in its commitment to creating a safe and respectful environment for all participants, including referees, and will not tolerate any form of violent behaviour towards them,” said the statement.
“We urge all players, coaches, and fans to embrace the values of sportsmanship, treat referees with dignity and respect, and join us in upholding the highest standards of conduct on and off the pitch.”
With two more club competition finals taking place this week – the Conference League final between West Ham and Fiorentina on Wednesday and the Champions League final between Inter and Man City on Saturday – UEFA indicated it will be monitoring protocols and security with increased vigilance.
“UEFA maintains a close collaboration with local police and airport security starting from the referees’ arrival in host cities,” said the UEFA statement. “However, we are constantly striving to enhance the security measures for officials in coordination with local authorities. We will carefully assess the incidents and incorporate valuable insights into our future event planning processes.”
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