An account of Jose Mourinho’s confrontation with Marco Serra, the fourth official from Tuesday evening’s game between Cremonese and Roma, has been published by Il Corriere dello Sport.
The Special One was sent off at the beginning of the second half of Tuesday’s away game at Cremonese. After the final whistle, Mourinho threatened legal action against fourth official Marco Serra but was banned for two games for insulting the refereeing team on the pitch and inside the dressing room.
According to a report of Il Corriere dello Sport, which quotes an informed source at the Stadio Zini, Mourinho had knocked on the door of the referee’s dressing room shortly after full-time and was let in. Inside was the referee Marco Piccinini and his assistants, a federal inspector, and after a few moments, Vito Scala and a couple of counterparts from Cremonese joined them.
Loudly, to be heard by everyone, Mourinho vented: “The last time I was sent off was at the Olimpico (Roma-Torino), I went to the referee’s dressing room to apologise.”
Coincidentally, Piccini was the fourth official on that occasion, who confirmed the coach’s story, recalling that he had added that he was not at all satisfied with his behaviour on the pitch.
José then turned to Serra: “If you have balls, if you are a man, repeat what you said to me on the pitch, then you have to apologise and that’s the end of it.”
“Sorry for what?” was the reply from Serra. “I don’t have to apologise to anyone, I didn’t say anything”.
At this point Mourinho burst out, shouting at him several times: “Liar. You are a s**** man. Shame on you. I avoid thinking that you are from Turin and on Sunday you don’t want me on the bench against Juve … “.
Instead of encouraging him to get it over with, Serra responded: “There, I was expecting this, I thought you would make up this story.”
Mourinho and Serra had already argued on the pitch. An AIA source told ANSA on Wednesday that no audio from their touchline row was available, but a video that has gone viral on social media appears to show the referee telling Mourinho “Go home.”