Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini had ‘absolutely no idea’ why he was sent off against Udinese, while Jose Mourinho and Luciano Spalletti ‘didn’t understand’ the referee’s decisions when Roma hosted Napoli.
Gasperini was sent off in the final minutes of the 1-1 draw with Udinese, as Atalanta fumbled another lead when Udinese visited the Gewiss Stadium.
The Orobici coach was fuming after the match and attacked the referees in Serie A, claiming they ‘are really a problem’, while he was asking for an explanation.
“I was not angry with anyone, and I have absolutely no idea why I was booked,” Gasperini told Sky Sport Italia after the 1-1 draw.
“He came to book me, I didn’t say anything, and then there was a red. This is a huge issue for referees, because nobody on the touchline complained about anything.
“Referees are really a problem, they never explain themselves, they never own up to errors. They are professionals too, so let them be professionals like us and come to speak to the media, because I have no idea what he thought he heard or saw. It’s about time they stop being protected.”
Both Mourinho and Spalletti were eventually sent off when Roma held Napoli to a 0-0 draw at the Olimpico on Sunday.
Neither of the two coaches felt they had said anything offensive to referee Massa, and the two tacticians became the protagonists after the stalemate.
“I wasn’t happy about the referee’s decision, but I didn’t say a word,” Mourinho told DAZN after the match.
Spalletti added: “I went to him to say: ‘Well done’, he put it all together and he showed me the red card. I’m devastated.”
Later that evening, Inter coach Simone Inzaghi was also sent off when Juventus were awarded a controversial penalty in the final minutes of the Derby d’Italia.
Furious Inzaghi sent off after penalty decision in Inter-Juventus
He lost his cool completely and started screaming at the referee, while throwing his bib on the floor. Referee Mariani showed him a straight red card, which made him the fourth referee to be sent off in Serie A Week 9.
Corriere della Sera reports the top referees agree on the need for transparent communication and openness for public debate, but the path followed by the new President Trentalance is debatable.
Football 101
No matter how incompetent or corrupt the referee is, in your opinion, you have to respect the referee and his decisions.
The referee is still the official, and you’re still a player/manager/staff member.
How is it that this basic concept is not understood correctly for such “high” level managers
Pinturicchio
Just to let you know Spalleti walked to the referee and said well done meaning that Spaletti thought that the referee did a good job with the match, however the referee took the compliment as a sarcastic remark and showed him the red card.
So before making your statements just on assumptions find out what really happened.
Hence referees are a problem even when you try to compliment them and say well done, they take it as an insult.
Mourinho feels he didn’t say anything to the referee? Mourinho? World renowned pain in the backside Mourinho? World renowned “Us VS Them” Mourinho? The same Mourinho who goes into a fit of rage when he doesn’t get a corner given? The same Mourinho who uses the same amount of energy as an olympic athlete complaining and skulking around the touchline?
Come on, surely the referee can tell the difference between sarcasm and genuine compliments. I know they’re not exactly esteemed at this moment in time but give them some credit.
@Gee
Why someone called himself as Pinturicchio would had problems with any ref? lol
@Gee
In the noise, the heat of the moment, and misconstruction of Spalletti’s body language, the referee felt Spalletti was being sardonic… who knows?
@TSObhung
Poor trolling skills, try to at least use basic grammar next time when you try to make a fool out of yourself.
Hey Pinto
I would call complimenting the referee as sign of respect.
Alot of the time it is accumulative and not one singular incident. They take a lot of abuse and given the perpetrators, they probably deserved it lol.