Our players are not assassins - Serie A coach laments after 90 yellow cards

Inter Milan v Bologna - San Siro, Milan, Italy - July 5, 2020 Bologna coach Sinisa Mihajlovic after the match, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) [REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo]

Bologna are picking up so many yellow cards it is like they are fielding a team of “assassins”, the Serie A side’s coach Sinisa Mihajlovic has said.

Mihajlovic was ordered from the touchline during his team’s 2-1 home defeat to Sassuolo in Serie A on Wednesday after he lost his temper with the referee.

“I was sent off because I had a few choice words for the referee: we’re the team that has received the most bookings and it’s just perplexing,” he said.

“You’d think we have 11 assassins on the pitch, but they’re all young lads. It’s probably easier to book our players than those belonging to other teams.”

Bologna, 10th in Serie A, have received 90 yellow cards in 31 matches this season, more than any other team.

Mihajlovic, who continued coaching this season while undergoing treatment for leukaemia, also criticised broadcaster Sky Italia for their analysis of Bologna’s 2-1 win at Inter Milan on Sunday.

“I sat there for half an hour and they didn’t say a single word about Bologna, it seemed like they were working for Inter Channel” he said. “It’s a disgrace, they couldn’t find a single compliment for Bologna.”