Roma head coach Jose Mourinho is aiming to avoid more refereeing controversy when his team travel to the San Siro to face Inter on Saturday.
Speaking to Italian broadcaster DAZN after the Giallorossi’s 1-1 draw with Napoli yesterday evening, Mourinho was scathing in his assessment of some decisions that went against his side and hoped that these are not at the centre of attention against Inter.
Refereeing decisions have been at the centre of controversy in Serie A on a number of occasions this season, a situation which has only been exacerbated by the use of VAR.
Mourinho has been one of the more vocal coaches in the league regarding what he feels has been some inconsistent officiating which has hurt his team, and he did not mince word after yesterday’s draw with Napoli.
The Portuguese coach will face his old side Inter over the weekend, hoping to take three points away at the third attempt after losses in Serie A and the Coppa Italia earlier in this season.
Both the Nerazzurri and Mourinho’s Giallorossi will be hoping that the performances on the pitch are what determine the result at the San Siro, rather than any contentious pieces of refereeing.
“There are teams that play for the Scudetto, which we don’t,” the coach said, “but we still want to have the chance to try and win matches.”
“On Saturday we want to have the chance to win, it seems that today we didn’t have the chance,” he continued.
Mourinho suggested that refereeing tends to lean in favour of the biggest teams in Serie A, stating that “I read something in the newspapers about how the league title could be decided if there are mistakes against the top three teams.”
“But they can be decisive even if they’re wrong in favour of those three teams,” he went on, “and today it seemed impossible for us to win.”
“Di Paolo, not to mention Di Bello, some of their decisions would have made me feel ashamed,” he added.
