There are reports that Roma and Jose Mourinho weren’t the only ones critical of referee Anthony Taylor’s performance in the Europa League Final with Sevilla, as his bosses saw errors too.
Mourinho has been charged by UEFA with using abusive and insulting language towards the official during a confrontation in the car park of the Puskas Arena after the match, which was decided on a penalty shoot-out.
Director Tiago Pinto also openly criticised Taylor for an officiating performance that was “not up to the standard” of a European Final.
According to Calciomercato.com and the Corriere dello Sport, that opinion was shared by the UEFA designator Roberto Rosetti, who was also unimpressed with Taylor’s handling of several situations.
The biggest was the Fernando handball, which Taylor considered to be with the arm in a natural position and VAR did not intervene to suggest an on-field review, but also his handing out of various yellow cards to Roma players, whereas Sevilla could’ve had far more, including a double booking for Lucas Ocampos.
Taylor also awarded a non-existent penalty to Sevilla, but that decision was corrected by the VAR review.
It may well mean that Taylor is not given another high-profile assignment like a Cup Final for some time, and considering he is 45 years old, it might’ve been his last major UEFA event.
Of course, none of this can excuse the behaviour of Mourinho or above all the fans who jostled and shouted at Taylor and his family in the airport in Budapest.
Yes but none of Mourinho’s behaviour would have happened had the ref been up to standard. Premier League refs are not up to standard and get found out in big matches and the English media always stick up for them in Europe but lambast them in premier league games, which shows what hypocrites they are. Sadly, yet again poor refereeing has cost an Italian team in a competition . Italian FA need to be more voiciferous and stick up for their teams.