Jose Mourinho is no stranger to controversy, having been sent off multiple times during his illustrious managerial career. This time, however, the AS Roma coach believes he was provoked by the fourth official in an incident that resulted in a red card dismissal in AS Roma’s 2-1 Serie A defeat to relegation-threatened Cremonese on Tuesday.
The AS Roma manager was sent off after an exchange of words with fourth official Luca Banti, and now Mourinho says he will seek legal advice. The Portuguese coach is convinced that he was provoked by Banti during the altercation at Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, and believes his behavior did not warrant a red card. However, while it remains to be seen what Mourinho’s legal team can do to overturn the decision, many have expressed doubts as to whether this is the right move for the AS Roma coach.
Mourinho has been involved in numerous altercations with officials throughout his career, most notably during his time at Chelsea when he famously jabbed finger into then-Barcelona assistant Tito Vilanova’s eye during a Champions League semi-final second leg match in 2012. In response to such past incidents involving him, some believe that any legal action taken against Tuesday’s refereeing decisions would be seen as hypocritical given all that has come before.
Furthermore, some are questioning whether or not any potential overturning of the red card would bring AS Roma any benefit or advantage over their current position in Serie A standings. AS Roma currently sits fifth on the table and out of Champions League spots after their loss against Cremonese—the first win of the season for their opponents—with Daniel Ciofani scoring late penalty equalizer. If Mourinho is able to get his suspension overturned then AS Roma may find themselves back in contention for Champions League spots— but if they fail then it could be viewed as a waste of time and resources on something that could prove ultimately fruitless.
However one views it, there is no denying that Mourinho’s decision to seek out legal advice may have serious implications for AS Roma and himself personally. While it remains unclear what exactly unfolded between him and Banti during Tuesday night’s match, there can be little doubt that this latest incident has cast yet another shadow over AS Roma jersey and Jose Mourinho’s reputation as one of Europe’s top football managers.
Only time will tell how the AS Roma manager’s decision to seek legal advice will ultimately play out. Until then, all eyes remain on the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino as AS Roma looks to climb back into Champions League contention before the season’s end. All AS Roma and Jose Mourinho supporters hope for a positive outcome for their beloved team and coach, but only time can truly answer that question. For now, we wait with eager anticipation as this saga unfolds.