Mourinho’s assistant suspended for insulting referee

Salvatore Foti, the assistant coach for Roma, was dismissed on Friday following his team’s Italian Cup elimination at the hands of Serie A’s bottom team Cremonese, and was consequently suspended till the end of the month.

In the final 11 minutes of Wednesday’s defeat in the quarterfinals, Foti was dismissed, and Serie A stated on Friday that the Italian assistant to Jose Mourinho had been suspended for a number of offenses.

For “repeatedly insulting the referee,” Michael Fabbri, “threaten[ing] a director of the opposition team” after Cremonese scored their first-half goal, and for “repeated blasphemy” after being sent off, according to a statement from Serie A, Foti has been suspended until February 28.

Foti was also punished for loitering in Fabbri’s locker room after the game and yelling threats at the 39-year-old referee.

In their first Serie A campaign since 1996, Cremonese are yet to win a league match, but after defeating Roma 2-1 at the Stadio Olimpico, they will play Fiorentina in the two-legged semifinals in April.

Following the suspension, Foti will miss four Serie A games, including Roma’s trip to Cremonese at the end of the month.