Tyrone Mings Explains How Jose Mourinho 'Abused' Him Over Ibrahimovic Stamp Incident
Tyrone Mings has revealed how Jose Mourinho "abused" him over that stamp on Zlatan Ibrahimovic that resulted in a five-match ban last season.
The Bournemouth defender and Manchester United veteran were embroiled in a bruising contest during March's 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, and Mings found himself the centre of attention for a particularly nasty looking act on Ibrahimovic at one point in the clash.
The 24-year-old seemed to exact revenge on the striker for an earlier elbow to the face when he stamped on Ibra's head as the latter lay prone on the pitch, but Mings told The Guardian that he was called out by Mourinho in the tunnel after the half-time break over the incident.
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He recalled: "I didn’t recognise up until half-time that it was even a big deal, because I hadn’t meant to do it, I didn’t feel like it would be a talking point.
“But I realised when [José] Mourinho came over when we were coming out for the start of the second half and started giving me some abuse, saying: ‘You think you’re clever. You’re going to get an eight-match ban'."
Ibrahimovic received a three-match ban from the FA for his part in the feud, but Mings was hit with a harder punishment after a review into his challenge on the Sweden legend.
The ex-Ipswich Town star also explained how referee Kevin Friend informed him that English football's governing body would definitely look into the incident in the days after the game - something they suitably did.
He said: “I just brushed it off, but then the referee said something to me as the second half started, saying: ‘It will probably get reviewed’.
"I said: ‘What will get reviewed?’ He said: ‘The stamp on his head.’ I was thinking: ‘I don’t need you to tell me that just as we’re about to start the second half'!"
Mings is set for a four-week spell on the sidelines after he suffered a back injury in training, and will be unavailable for the Cherries until mid-October at the earliest.
