Miked-up Mourinho handed 10-day suspension for ref criticism

Jose Mourinho wore a microphone to "protect himself" when his AS Roma side faced Monza in May, but he could not resist a dig at the referee after the game and was handed a 10-day touchline ban on Wednesday.

Mourinho will miss his team's Serie A season opener due to the suspension and was also given a 50,000 euros ($54,610) fine for comments made towards referee Daniele Chiffi, the Italian FA said.

Mourinho strongly criticised Chiffi after Roma's 1-1 league draw against Monza, labelling him "the worst referee I have encountered in my entire career."

The 60-year-old Portuguese had gone into the game looking to do everything he could to avoid being sanctioned by the officials.

"I'm not stupid, you know," Mourinho said at the time. "Today, 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."

Yet the former Chelsea and Real Madrid coach, who is no stranger to clashes with referees, still ended up in hot water for his comments after the match.

"I stopped working (talking) 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," said Mourinho.

"He is horrible, he makes no human connection with anyone, he has no empathy, he gives a red card to a player who slips because he is exhausted at the 96th minute."

It is the second sanction Mourinho has received in a week after UEFA banned him for four Europa League matches for using abusive language towards referee Anthony Taylor in his team's loss to Sevilla in the competition's final.

Roma have also been fined 50,000 euros, on top of the 55,000 euro fine that UEFA also imposed on the club.

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