Jose Mourinho intervened when a group of Roma fans started chanting alleged racist abuse towards Sampdoria manager Dejan Stankovic on Sunday evening.
The unsavoury scenes unfolded during Roma's 3-0 win at the Stadio Olimpico, a result that has reignited their Serie A top-four hopes. Mourinho's side were victorious thanks to second-half goals from Georginio Wijnaldum, Paulo Dybala and Stephan El Shaarawy.
The game went in Roma's favour after defender Jeison Murillo was sent off for Sampdoria in the 52nd minute. Some home fans responded to that decision by referencing Stankovic's Serbian heritage in a chant, leaving Roma boss Mourinho furious.
As Roma's ultras started chanting abuse at Stankovic, Mourinho left his dugout and raised his right hand in their direction. The Portuguese coach then waited until the fans stopped chanting before giving them a thumbs up to thank them for their co-operation.
Mourinho told reporters at full-time, "You don't have to thank me, I did it for a great man and friend. I've been insulted many times and in different ways in the stadiums of this world. I've built a wall around me for protection, and I'm sure Deki did the same."
Mourinho and Stankovic have a friendship after working together at Inter Milan. Stankovic was a senior player at the San Siro when Mourinho was appointed by Inter in the summer of 2008, as they went on to enjoy remarkable success.
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Mourinho's Inter won two consecutive Serie A titles and became the first ever Italian side to win the Treble during the 2009/10 campaign - winning Serie A, the Champions League and the Coppa Italia. Stankovic played 43 games in all competitions that term.
Roma fans do not like Stankovic because he spent six years of his career with bitter rivals Lazio - winning seven trophies. It was one of the most successful periods in Lazio's history, as they won the Serie A title under future England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Stankovic was appointed by Sampdoria in October and finds himself in a difficult position. The Italian giants are 19th in the Serie A table - 10 points from safety with just 10 games to go. Yet Mourinho will always be hand to offer Stankovic some managerial advice.
"I send hugs to Stankovic he is a special guy," said Mourinho after Roma's win against Stankovic's Sampdoria in October. Stankovic was also full of praise for Mourinho when he was asked about his former manager in an interview with Corriere dello Sport last month.
"I respect Mourinho very much," said Stankovic, as quoted by Roma Press. "He arrived at Inter when I was already thirty years old and I thought I had given everything. Jose managed to improve me by that 20 to 30 per cent. I didn’t know I had left in me.
"We have never lost sight of each other, I still reach out to him to this day, I ask him for advice, we exchange opinions, he is a man and a coach of an uncommon intelligence and ability. He trains everyone. Players, managers, staff, media, fans. He trains them, he doesn’t manipulate them. He is empathetic, engaging."
