Jose Mourinho spoke practically only about VAR Luca Banti after Roma’s 2-0 defeat to Fiorentina. ‘What’s happening is frankly too much. We want an explanation. We want respect.’

The Giallorossi were visibly never in the game at the Stadio Franchi, and not just because they went 2-0 down within 11 minutes.

The penalty seemed soft for Rick Karsdorp catching Nico Gonzalez’s shin, but the defending was dismal on Giacomo Bonaventura’s second goal.

It was also arguable that Nico Gonzalez was denied more of a penalty later on in the match for Bryan Cristante having his arms all over the striker, but this time VAR did not intervene.

Serie A | Fiorentina 2-0 Roma: Viola catch Giallorossi and Atalanta

Inevitably, Mourinho’s players looked exhausted after Thursday’s Conference League semi-final, but he kept squad rotation to a minimum.

“The explanation… we’ve been waiting for an explanation for a long time and we have no explanation,” Mourinho told DAZN.

“There is a double explanation tonight. Obviously, after Thursday’s game we were certainly lacking physical and mental energy, compared to a side that had all week to prepare.

“But I want to hear the explanation from Mr Banti of Livorno, which is not far from here. I already saw the footage, it’s a touch, not a foul. The referee was close by and did not give a penalty. In the VAR room, Mr Banti intervened.

“Aside from the penalty, Fiorentina were also stronger, they played at a different tempo and with concentration, so they deserved to win. The problem is we are not talking about just these three points, but the many, many incidents that we have no explanation for.

“Why did the VAR call a referee like Guida, who was 10 metres away and saw full well it wasn’t a penalty? Why? These are the explanations we want and do not have.

“Yes, we are in a Final, which absorbs the emotion and energy of a club like Roma, but we also have a league to play and it’s frankly too much. What keeps happening to this team is just too much.”

Mourinho was asked why Fiorentina had been more attacking from the get-go, making vertical passes compared to Roma’s constant horizontal movement.

“It is very simple. Zalewski would’ve been possibly on the bench of the youth team 12 months ago. He has played nine games in a row, including the semi-final of a European tournament.

“The difference when playing vertically is the difference of 14 games that Roma played more than Fiorentina this season. If we run 10km per game, 14 games is a lot.

“It is the difference between intensity and lack of intensity, concentration and lack of concentration. It is very simple.

“We know that we have the respect of the Roma fans, but we also want respect from the Bantis of this world, who sit in their comfortable chairs and have taken many, many points away from this team.”

Refereeing expert Luca Marelli in the DAZN studio reviewed the penalty incident and assured the spot-kick was “non-existent,” because the contact was far too soft to warrant a VAR on-field review or be considered a clear and obvious error.

31 thought on “Mourinho blames VAR: ‘Roma demand explanation and respect’”
  1. I knew the ref had no option after var call, going to watch replay was just to cajole us. I don’t understand why football is like this?

  2. That is a brutal pen!! Wow I’m not even a serie a fan but you guys have the worse refs in Europe!! 😂😂😂

  3. this VAR foolishness has happened to Roma far to often this season.One gets the feeling they are trying to stop both Mourinho and Roma.

  4. I agree with Alford on this but Jose will surely come out in too as I speak blessings of success over his team Roma and his managerial career !

  5. VAR is killing our game. The only way to improve it is to get rid of it all together but unfortunately that will never happen

  6. Only one shot on target tells the whole story about Roma and poor offensive transition…..

    Middle field disappeared d whole of 90 minutes, not d first time though… conference cup will be a bridge too far if they continue like this…

    Am still a fan all the same…

  7. @Alford

    What specific motivation would exist to “stop” Roma? I can understand a desire to undercut Mourinho and his endless whining, but who honestly cares about keeping down Roma?

  8. Oh shut Mourinho. Always the same. This guy can’t take the loss. If he wins, he says everything was good. If hi looses, he says that he has kids playing for his team and he has no other players to play. You are the reason you don’t have a proper substitution because you keep playing with same players twice a week. If you don’t gove others a chance, what is a point to keep those guys and never let them play?

  9. Super soft contact that lead to a fabricated penalty. La Viola began this game by looking for any contact that they could “sell”… that was completely disgraceful tactics.

    Yes, Fiorentina outplayed Roma but the ref and VAR we a joke.

  10. On watching the replay, I’m confused on why you would give a penalty as there appears to be no / minimal contact, so VAR shouldn’t intervene. Its definitely time to get rid of it, because sticklers who have never played football seem to be the ones making the decisions.. and slow motion is not a reliable source of a replay

    Nevertheless, Mourinho’s fault for being incapable of rotating a squad, so now all relies on one game to make the Europa league. Blame refs all you want, but if Roma fails to make Europa, I think this season will finish as a disaster

  11. So Roma didn’t loose any games this year because of VAR and it’s only Roma who complain about Refs Nasimbek? LOL!

    There have been more than one ref this season suspended after Roma games, so there is something to Mou’s complaining as well as other coaches

  12. Nnasimbek you are a clown. Jose should shut up and be quiet while referees are doing whatever they want at Roma expense. It was very clear that Nico Gonazalez is a diver and that refs need to be extra careful with players like him because he will go down at every possible contact.. its insane the amount of times he just throws himself in front of the player and makes it look like a player fouled him. refs in this league are deciding everything Lazio won with offside goal against Spezia while Roma dosn’t get penalty against bologna when Medel clearly used his arm to control the ball. With Fiorentina penalty today contact was right on the edge but outside of the box

  13. Come on Jose, MAKE ROMA GREAT AGAIN! MROGA! Storm the Lega offices and demand to replay that FAKE GAME! How can you ever succeed with this INVASION of poor refereeing and LOSER players on your squad? Only you can save football.

  14. Sick, tired and annoyed by the usual rants against referees by this grey haired old man …… his time is over anyway ….. and he is the only one not to understand it ….

    He seems to think that by blaming referees he can make people forget that he is no longer a top coach …… his expiry date is long past ….

  15. @Michele Sandwich
    You are exactly waht is wrong with this league!! Let’s all sit and pretend the refs do a great job week in week out and not call them out!! Sorry but it’s you that’s weak !! Jose in a final with a team he inherited in 8 months, ya he’s past it😂 yiur so angry at Mourinho, he obviously lives free of charge in your head

  16. This has been happening in the UK , some refs hate Mourinho and they give soft penalties against him and the team he is managing at the time, exp..Newcastle vs spurs penalty against spurs , ball hits Diers hand and his hands are behind his back. Even read an article from an ex English ref and he even said he hated Mourinho and left the game because of him. Yes Mourinho complains alot and he is one of the hated man on earth, but he will always be one of the greatest managers ever

  17. 😂😂😂 you guys are so lame! So I make a comment bug you never post it!! You pick and choose which comments you want to fit your agenda!! You guys are just like the Italian league!! Scandalous🥱

  18. I like Mourinho and he can do no wrong. Hope he stays in Italy (we need you) for at least 10 years. Complain as loud as possible. Thank you.

  19. Agree it’s not a rigore but Nico should have gotten one later in the game had the earlier one wasn’t given

  20. 😂😂😂 I’ve written in my Twitter how you football Italia pick and choose comments to fit your agenda you. Your as corrupt as Serie A

  21. @Mike I used to think you guys were crazy, but I had a comment deleted too! I keep calling out Suzy Campanale because, still for some reason refuses to write an article that highlights the absolutely shocking decisions against Roma?

    As Ive already stated, Roma were not playing very well, but if you actually watch football you will know that you can play badly and still win. What you also cannot dispute is that it becomes very difficult to win when soft penalties are given against you within the first 10 minutes, its called “conditioning” the result, this you cannot dispute.

  22. Fio got a soft penalty but was denied a clear penalty. Also fio was denied a clear goal scoring opportunity with ikone one on one with the keeper was denied with an invented foul by ref.

    If anyone was favored by ref was roma…

  23. I am a Fiorentina supporter and that was not a penalty. I can’t stand VAR. It’s taking the joy out of the game. Each team should get one challenge per half and if they lose, they should lose a substitute. Let the players play and the officials officiate.

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