Roma embark on media boycott following Mourinho suspension

AS Roma have instituted a media ban on their players and staff barring everyone at the club from granting interviews until the end of the season in the wake of manager Jose Mourinho being banned for two matches following a bust-up with fourth official Marco Serra. 

Mourinho and Serra got into a heated argument during Roma’s 2-1 loss to Cremonese in Serie A a fortnight ago, eventually leading to the Portuguese manager getting sent off. 

After the final whistle, Mourinho stormed the referees’ dressing room, demanding an explanation and an apology for what he deemed “unjustifiable” language from Serra that triggered his angry outburst. 

Mourinho was subsequently banned for two matches and fined for his red card and his unfriendly trip to the referees’ changing room that followed the Cremonense game but could appear in the dugout against Juventus after the ban was suspended while it was being appealed. 

Unfortunately for Roma, the conclusion of the appeal process has found sufficient grounds to uphold the two-game suspension, and the club has reacted to this outcome by barring all its members from speaking to the press until at least the end of the current season. 

According to a report by La Gazzetta dello Sport, players and coaching staff will no longer speak to the media until the end of the season, with the exception of European games in the UEFA Europa League, where they are mandated by contract to do so. 

Roma have embarked on this boycott as a means of protesting against the decision to reinstate Mourinho’s ban, and they hope the lack of media engagement will serve as a strong statement of dissatisfaction with the decision.