Roma manager, Jose Mourinho has revealed that he wore a microphone to protect himself against referee Daniele Chiffi during a league game between his team and Monza on Wednesday.
Jose Mourinho and referee Chiffi have had a not-so-positive history in the league, especially this season. The 60-year-old Portuguese tactician has received three red cards in the 2022-2023 season and one of them came from Chiffi in September 2022.
Hence, on Wednesday, Mourinho, who is known to be very vocal on the sidelines, had to “protect” himself against “the worst referee I have met in my life” by wearing a microphone.
Recall that Jose Mourinho was banned for two games in February after having an altercation with a fourth official in Roma’s 2-1 defeat at the hands of Cremonese.
After the game, the Portuguese tactician stressed that he would take legal action against the referee for using “unjustifiable” words against him.
In Wednesday’s game which ended in a 1-1 draw, Mourinho was furious with Chiffi for giving his player Mehmet Zeki Celik a red card in the 96th minute. Interestingly, Mourinho comported himself until after the game before he lambasted the referee during the post-match press conference.
Mourinho said, “I went to the game with a microphone. I recorded everything.
“From the moment I left the locker room, to the moment I returned – I protected myself.
“He [Cheffi] is the worst. Technically he’s horrible. Zero empathy. Zero communication. Zero awareness.
“A second yellow to a guy who slips in the 96th minute… I stopped working 20-30 minutes from the end because I knew he would give me a red card for anything.
“I didn’t give him the opportunity, I decided no, that’s enough.”
The former Real Madrid, Chelsea, and Manchester United coach added, “Believe me, I have dealt with many bad referees. Usually, when I talk about referees, it is because they have a direct influence on the game.
“He is horrible, he makes no human connection with anyone, he has no empathy, and he gives a red card to a player who slips because he is exhausted at the 96th minute.
“Unfortunately, this too is a sign of Roma’s weakness as a club, because we do not have the strength of other clubs who can say we don’t want this referee.”
