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Fans Attack Soccer Ref After Wild Europa League Final

People hurled chairs, drinks and cussed at Anthony Taylor a day after he doled out a whopping 14 yellow cards—a Europa League record.

English soccer referee Anthony Taylor and his family were harassed by fans as they boarded a plane in Budapest on Thursday, with people hurling chairs, drinks and cussing at him a day after his controversial performance in the Europa League final. The assailants involved were believed to be fans of A.S. Roma, which lost on penalties to Sevilla FC in a game that featured 14 yellow cards—a record for any Europa League match. Taylor immediately became the center of controversy after the final whistle, with the Englishman being berated in a parking lot outside the stadium by Roma’s manager Jose Mourinho—who reportedly called Taylor a “fucking disgrace” during an expletive-laden tirade. The Professional Game Match Officials Limited, the refereeing organization to which Taylor belongs, called the abuse “abhorrent” and “unjustified.”