Jose Mourinho wasn’t happy with the referee after relegation-threatened Genoa held his AS Roma to a goalless draw on Saturday.
Despite going winless in their last 20 Serie A matches, Genoa walked away from the nation’s capital with a massive point. Even though Alexander Blessin’s men have drawn a blank in each of their last four league outings.
Roma thought they made it late when Nicolo Zaniolo hammered home a mid-range attempt in the dying moments but the goal was ruled out for a foul in the build-up play; the player receiving his marching orders after throwing a wave of insults towards referee Rosario Abisso and Mourinho want happy with the move.
“I spoke to the referee because, in my opinion, he got it wrong. Do you think if Zaniolo played for Inter, Juventus, or Milan, the same situation would’ve developed? He hasn’t been given a penalty all season, he gets fouled constantly, he opens his mouth and is automatically booked. He’s had seven or eight yellow cards and two red, a creative player like Zaniolo.
“Today Zaniolo was sent off because he said three times to Mr. Abisso: ‘Why the hell did you whistle?’ He said it three times in a row, but it was not an insult. If I am a referee, after someone celebrates at the 90th minute, sees the goal disallowed, is naturally frustrated, you can book him and that’s that.
“Do you think that red card would’ve been given, for example, to Lautaro Martinez for Inter at San Siro? Or Giorgio Chiellini in the Juventus Stadium? Or Zlatan Ibrahimovic at San Siro? What the hell did you whistle gets a red card. This is where we are, we are considered a small club. Maybe it’s not even his fault, maybe the referee is just following the guidelines he is given for modern football by the professors in charge,” Mourinho lamented.
With the draw, Roma now trails fourth-placed Atalanta by four points, with Gian Piero Gasperini’s side also having two games in hand.
