Have to tell my players don’t try to stay on your feet and be clowns, asserts Jose Mourinho

Having lost just once going into their clash against Atalanta, many expected the game to be a fiery contest between AS Roma and La Dea, which is exactly what they got. The home side weren’t at their best but still managed to dominate their visitors in the first half although it was Gian Piero Gasperini’s men who took the lead before the break. However, Roma had chances and plenty of them to get back on level terms with Tammy Abraham, Nicolo Zaniolo, Eldor Shomurodov and a few other stars.

But the biggest one was the one not given after Nicolo Zaniolo was brought down, inside the area, for what was a clear penalty. However, the referee didn’t hand the spot-kick and instead showed an irate Jose Mourinho a red card, which only further irritated the Portuguese coach. It has led to Mourinho revealing that he is going to tell his players to not stay on their feet after the referee told him, post-match, that it was why he didn’t point to the spot. 

"There was a very clear penalty. I asked the referee afterwards why, and asked him to be clear with me that it was because Zaniolo did not go down. So therefore I have to change my advice to my players, I have to tell them don't try to stay on your feet, don't play the ball, be a clown the way many who dive like they're in a swimming pool do in this league, because that is evidently how you get penalties,” Mourinho said, reported Goal.