NaijaOnPoint Nigeria reports that Premier League referee Anthony Taylor has revealed that he nearly walked away from officiating after his family suffered vile abuse at Budapest Airport.
The incident occurred after Roma’s loss to Sevilla in the 2023 Europa League final, when furious Italian fans targeted Taylor and his loved ones.
Former Roma manager José Mourinho had earlier confronted the 46-year-old in the Puskás Arena car park, branding him a “f**king disgrace” over what he described as “bull***t decisions” during the match.
Taylor has since maintained that he made “no major mistakes” during the Europa League final.
Speaking with BBC Sport, the referee described the incident as the worst abuse he has ever experienced.
“That’s definitely the toughest situation I’ve had to deal with,” Taylor said. “Not just because I was travelling with my family at the time, but also because it shows how people’s behaviour can deeply affect others. There’s always pressure and scrutiny around big, high-profile matches.”