Mourinho's 'weak and naive' foe Skomina to ref Europa League final
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho may have some apologising to do after Damir Skomina was chosen to referee the Europa League final.
Damir Skomina, the man who Jose Mourinho once described as "weak and naive", will officiate Manchester United's Europa League final against Ajax.
The Slovenian drew the ire of Mourinho during the Portuguese's second spell in charge of Chelsea after failing to award a penalty during a 0-0 Champions League group-stage draw at Dynamo Kiev last season.
"The referee was weak and naive. Big penalty," Mourinho said at the time, although it mattered little in the long run as Chelsea went on to qualify as winners of their group.
United booked their place in the Europa League showpiece in Stockholm later this month with a nervy 1-1 draw at home to Celta Vigo on Thursday, which secured a 2-1 aggregate success.
Skomina, an international referee since 2003, has presided over six Champions League matches this season, including Monaco and Borussia Dortmund's quarter-final second leg.
Meanwhile, 41-year-old German Felix Brych has been given the task of officiating the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Juventus in Cardiff on June 3.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
‘Managing Leeds? It was an option that appeared, but it wasn’t the right timing. I decided it wasn’t a good idea to leave the club I was at mid-season’: Premier League boss admits to turning down opportunity to replace Jesse Marsch in 2023
‘Ruben Amorim could have waited for Real Madrid and had a better chance to be successful – to have joined Manchester United, he must be convinced in his own ability’ Former Old Trafford coach’s verdict on new boss