Jose Mourinho was handed his marching orders during Roma’s 0-0 draw with Napoli on Sunday evening to cap a miserable week for the Portuguese boss
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Jose Mourinho asks for time as he is unveiled as Roma manager
No two days are ever the same in Jose Mourinho’s world of football management and Sunday evening did not go without incident for the Roma boss after landing himself in hot water once again with match officials.
The former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham boss was handed a booking in the first half for dissent after aiming comments towards the officials.
But tempers boiled over on the touchline late on when he gestured with a sarcastic thumbs-up, causing the referee Davide Massa to show a red card.
Mourinho was sent to the stands for the remainder of the match as his side played out a goalless draw with unbeaten Napoli, who also saw their head coach Luciano Spalletti sent off.
The Roma fans gave their manager a warm reception as he made his way into the crowd, but the tactician was left bemused by his dismissal.
“I wasn’t happy about the referee’s decision, but I didn’t say a word,” he told DAZN, via Football Italia.
“Nobody is going home happy, both coaches were sent off, but I think the referee was balanced.”
It is the second time in the space of four days that Mourinho has made the headlines for the wrong reasons.
Mourinho had been under fire after watching his much-changed Roma side succumb to a humiliating 6-1 defeat by Norwegian outfit Bodo/Glimt in the Europa Conference League.
He had made several changes to the side to rest his regular stars in preparation for this weekend’s Serie A fixture.
But following on from the worst defeat of his 21-year managerial career, the 58-year-old made no attempt to hide his criticism of the players who came into the side.
How long will Jose Mourinho last as AS Roma boss? Comment below.
“They have more quality than us. Their first team is a much better team than our second team,” he said.
“It’s my mistake. I wanted to rest players after the game against Juventus and before the game against Napoli.
“I made these decisions, and in the end, they are better players than my players. They are a better team than my team.
“Of course, the 6-1 could be five, could be seven, could be eight.
“The game went in a direction where you lose complete control of emotions, of everything. The reality of the game is that the best team won with the best players.
“The only thing I can say is that I tried to do it with good intentions, to rest my players for the next game, but we were punished by that. They are better than us.”
Mourinho reacted by omitting four players from that clash from the squad and punishing them by making them sit in the stands away from the squad.
Marash Kumbulla, Bryan Reynolds, Ricardo Calafiori, Amadou Diawara and Borja Mayoral were all banished from the side as Mourinho fielded his strongest XI.
That included former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham, who has scored four goals in 11 appearances for the Giallorossi since his £34million move this summer.
But Abraham and his team-mates were unable to break the deadlock as the two sides settled for a point in a goalless stalemate in Rome.
Mourinho has been working in Italy for five months after being sacked as Tottenham boss in April just a week before the club were due to take part in the Carabao Cup final.
He recently distanced himself from reports linking him with the vacant manager’s position at Newcastle United, having signed a three-year deal with the Italian club.
He was appointed as Roma head coach to replace Paulo Fonseca in May and oversaw a summer of spending of around £80m with six new players arriving at the Stadio Olimpico.
Roma are currently fifth in Serie A as they look to battle for Champions League qualification.
