Maurizio Sarri’s assistant Marco Ianni was sent off in the first half of Sunday’s Rome derby, years after a famous touchline row involving him and José Mourinho during Chelsea-Manchester United in 2018.
Ianni argued with Nuno Santos – one of Mourinho’s staff members – in the first half of the Rome derby on Sunday. Santos had had a dispute with Pedro close to Roma‘s bench, but the ex-Barcelona and Chelsea winger was given a yellow card, while both Santos and Ianni – who joined the touchline row – were shown a red card.
This time Mourinho was not on the bench, serving the second of a two-match ban, but Ianni’s red card was reminiscent of the same sanction he received after a touchline row with the Portuguese when Mourinho was in charge of Manchester United and Sarri was the coach of Chelsea.
It was in 2018 and Ianni was sent off after celebrating a Chelsea goal in Mourinho’s face. He was later charged with improper conduct.
It was a very tense Derby at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday, with Roma defender Roger Ibanez given two yellow cards in the opening 32 minutes and Adam Marusic and Bryan Cristante shown a straight red card each in the stoppages.