- Mourinho shown red against Cremonese
- Third offence resulted in two-game suspension
- Roma to impose media blackout in protest
WHAT HAPPENED? Roma slipped to a shock 2-1 defeat to Cremonese a week ago, securing the Serie A minnows their first league win of the entire season. The result was enough to push Mourinho over the edge, who was sent off after an altercation with the fourth official who the Portuguese claimed antagonised him. The Giallorossi head coach also received a €10,000 fine as he reportedly stormed the officials' dressing room shouting "offensive expressions" after the match.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE: The red card was Mourinho's third of the season, prompting a two-game suspension. While the ban was initially suspended, allowing the Portuguese to take charge over a 1-0 win over Juventus the following matchday, the FIGC confirmed on Friday that the ban would be coming into immediate effect. As a result, Gazzetta dello Sport are reporting that Roma will impose a media blackout in protest of this decision, during the two league games against Sassuolo and Lazio on March 12 and 19, respectively.
AND WHAT'S MORE: The Italian outlet continue that the decision is to emphasise Roma's feeling over the "unjust nature" of the punishment, especially given that the club never appealed any of the sanctions in the first instance. Mourinho himself took to Instagram to protest the ban in his own cryptic fashion, posing in what was made to look like handcuffs in a repeat of the gesture he once made as Inter boss.
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MOURINHO? The touchline ban isn't the only controversy to involve Mourinho this past week, after the Roma manager reportedly booed Lazio players in an U-14 match.
With the decision now confirmed by the FICG, the Portuguese's next league match in charge will come against Sampdoria on April 2, although he will be eligible to oversee their Europa League return leg against Real Sociedad on March 16, where his side hold a 2-0 advantage from Thursday's home leg.