Referee Anthony Taylor has been spilling the tea on the savage verbal attack he had to endure from none other than Jose Mourinho back in 2023. It all went down after Roma’s gut-wrenching penalty-shootout loss to Sevilla, when Mourinho decided to let loose on the English official in the car park of the Puskas Arena in Budapest. The former Chelsea gaffer unleashed a tirade of abusive language towards Taylor, resulting in UEFA slapping him with a four-match ban and a hefty fine of £47,300.
Taylor, who kicked off his refereeing career back in 2022, recently sat down for a chat with BBC Sport to dish all the details on Mourinho’s outburst post the 2023 Europa League final. This incident marked Mourinho’s first taste of defeat in a European final, leaving the ex-Spurs manager fuming over decisions that didn’t go his team’s way. Despite there being no major blunders during the game, Sevilla managed to clinch the trophy after a brief penalty shootout, leaving Mourinho seething with rage. “That’s the worst situation I’ve dealt with in terms of abuse,” Taylor spilled to BBC Sport, reflecting on the intense ordeal he faced from the disgruntled manager.
Sevilla’s victory in the Europa League final back in 2023 left a bitter taste in Mourinho’s mouth, leading to his explosive confrontation with Taylor. The referee, who was accompanied by family members at the time, highlighted the impact of such behavior on individuals, expressing his disappointment, frustration, and anger over the incident. Taylor even pondered on whether it was a mistake to have his family present during the match, as they haven’t attended a game since. The aftermath of Mourinho’s attack left Taylor questioning the acceptability of such behavior, emphasizing the negative repercussions it can have on both individuals and performance in the long run. As Taylor unraveled the series of events that transpired, he shed light on the pressure referees face in the world of Premier League football, where the pursuit of perfection often overshadows the human aspect of the game.
