Referee Anthony Taylor mobbed by Roma fans at the airport

Posted Friday, June 02, 2023 by sportbible

Referee Anthony Taylor was mobbed by unhappy Roma fans at the airport, after the Englishman officiated the Europa League final.

There are fewer tougher gigs than having to take charge of a game where Jose Mourinho is managing and is in one of those moods.

Taylor found that out on Wednesday night in Budapest when he was the referee for Roma's final against Sevilla inside the Puskas Arena.

The Premier League ref ended up handing out 13 yellow cards to the players on the pitch and others to numerous members of coaching staff, including the Roma boss.

Mourinho was so unhappy with the decisions that went against his side that he waited in the car park after the match to abuse the officials, having already thrown his runners-up medal into the crowd.

And it seems his actions have spread to the fans with journalist Michele Criscitiello catching the moment Roma fans mobbed Taylor in the airport, as you can see in the videos below. According to one report a fan threw a chair at the 44-year-old.

The Italian side took the lead through Paulo Dybala early in the game, after the former Real Madrid manager had claimed his top forward was only going to be available for '20-30 minutes' before the game.

Mourinho had won all five of his European finals before Wednesday and in every single one of them his teams had led 1-0 going into half time.

It was the case once again as the whistle blew for the break however Sevilla had the memory of winning their three most recent Europa League finals coming from behind.

Gianluca Mancini nodded in an own goal early in the second half, which would eventually take the game to extra time and penalties.

Taylor was having a tough night with so many niggly fouls and complaining from players and coaches alike and then he really annoyed Mourinho for not awarding a penalty, with Roma certain there was a handball.

The Spanish side were actually awarded a spot kick by Taylor during the game but the ref was told to go over to the monitor by the VAR official and soon changed his mind.

Mancini and Roger Ibanez were the unfortunate men to miss penalties during the shoot-out, giving Gonzalo Montiel the chance to win a second title from the spot in six months, having scored Argentina's winning penalty in the World Cup final.

His attempt was saved but VAR pointed out that Rui Patricio was off his line so Montiel was able to retake and he slotted his second attempt home.

Roma fans claimed the incident proved the game was rigged and Mourinho started his own campaign of hate, it could cost him a large ban.