English referee Anthony Taylor and his household confronted harassment from a gaggle of Roma supporters at Budapest Airport following the Italian team’s loss to Sevilla within the Europa League final. Videos on social media depict Taylor and his household being escorted from a restaurant to a safe area by airport security as followers targeted the referee after a contentious match on Wednesday night. Free on Twitter reveals a chair and bottle being thrown in the path of Taylor and his group, which included two girls.
The English referees’ organisation, PGMOL, issued a press release expressing their dismay at the “unjustified and abhorrent abuse” directed at Taylor and his family. They pledged to proceed providing full help to the referee and his family members. Sky Sports News has also reached out to UEFA for a statement.
Sevilla’s victory on penalties marked Roma manager Jose Mourinho’s first defeat in a European last. The match noticed Taylor issue a report 14 yellow cards, the best number in a Europa League sport, and practically half-hour of stoppage time. Following the match, extensively shared social media footage showed Mourinho verbally attacking the officers within the car park, calling their efficiency a “disgrace.”