September 18, (THEWILL) – Atalanta inflicted a second defeat on Roma in their tie that ended 1-0 at home in Serie A, and which saw the dismissal of Jose Mourinho for his fit of rage directed towards the match officials.
Roma’s Nicolo Zaniolo went over under a challenge from Caleb Okoli in the 55th minute but referee Daniele Chiffi turned down shouts for a penalty, and the Portuguese manager was incensed. However, replays revealed both players were grasping at each other’s shirts long before Zaniolo went to the ground.
An unrestrained Mourinho ran onto the field, shouting and pointing at Chiffi, leaving the referee no choice but to flash a red card at him. Roma was trailing after Giorgio Scalvini’s 35th-minute goal which left Roma in sixth on the table after seven matches.
With their victory, Atalanta moved to the top of the standings, at least momentarily, ahead of Sunday’s late game between Napoli and Milan, which offers either team a chance to overtake them and climb to the top of the table.
After the international break, Roma will have a tough task when they visit Inter Milan on October 1, without Mourinho in the dugout due to this red card, and, the following day, Atalanta will host Fiorentina at their Gewiss Stadium.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
