Jose Mourinho wore microphone to ‘protect’ from himself from a referee he describes as the ‘worst’

During his team’s Wednesday 1-1 draw with Monza, Roma manager Jose Mourinho claims he wore a microphone to “protect” himself from “the worst referee I have ever met.”

Following the 96th-minute dismissal of Roma’s Mehmet Zeki Celik, Mourinho criticized referee Daniele Chiffi.

This season, he has been given three red cards for altercations with referees, including one from Chiffi in September.

“I went to the game with a microphone. I recorded everything,” Mourinho said.

“From the moment I left the locker room, to the moment I returned – I protected myself.

“He [Cheffi] is the worst. Technically he’s horrible. Zero empathy. Zero communication. Zero awareness.

“A second yellow to a guy who slips in the 96th minute… I stopped working 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.”

Luca Caldirola of Monza erased Stephan El Shaarawy’s first-half goal, dropping Roma to seventh position in Serie A and outside of the European qualification spots on goal differential.

“Believe me, I have dealt with many bad referees,” said Mourinho. “Usually, when I talk about referees, it is because they have a direct influence on the game.

“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.

“Unfortunately, this too is a sign of Roma’s weakness as a club, because we do not have the strength of other clubs who can say we don’t want this referee.”

When Cremonese defeated Roma 2-1 in February, Mourinho claimed the fourth official spoke to him in a “unjustifiable way” and threatened to file a lawsuit.

Due to the altercation, the 60-year-old was dismissed and given a two-match suspension.