Former Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid boss, Jose Mourinho has expressed shock over the penalty awarded to England in their Euro 2020 semi-final victory over Denmark on Wednesday night.
Mourinho said the referee, Danny Makkelie won’t sleep well after awarding the penalty in extra-time but insisted that England fully deserved to advance to the final.
It was the first major final for the England men’s national team since 1966. The referee pointed to the spot judging Joakim Maehle to have clipped Raheem Sterling.
It was clear Maehle only made minimal contact with the Manchester City forward, but VAR did not overrule the decision of the referee.
Harry Kane’s penalty was saved by Kasper Schmeichel, but he converted the rebound to seal a 2-1 win for England and end their semi-final hoodoo.
“Yes, amazing game, but I’m not sure you want to listen to my opinion,” Mourinho told talkSPORT.
“But I say it the way I see it and I don’t believe the referee is going to sleep well!”
“I say the way I see it, not the way it is. Maybe you don’t like my opinion this time….
“It’s never a penalty. The best team won, England deserved to win. England was fantastic, but for me it’s never a penalty.
“But, for me, it’s never a penalty. At this level, a semi-final of a Euro I don’t really understand the referee’s decision.
“And I don’t understand even less the fact that the VAR didn’t bring the referee to the screen or overturn the decision. For me it’s never a penalty.
“But as a football man, I am disappointed that a penalty was given. I thought England would win it.
“The Danish team was really, really tired in extra time. The players were absolutely at their limits.
“I thought England would win in extra-time. As a football man I’m not happy with that penalty. I would prefer to win in a different way.”
