Milan: Inter Milan’s march to the Serie A title further unravelled on Monday when coach Jose Mourinho was banned for three league matches and four players were suspended for next weekend’s trip to Udinese.

Mourinho, whose side host his former club Chelsea in the Champions League on Wednesday, has been punished for making a handcuffs gesture during Saturday’s controversial 0-0 home draw with Sampdoria.

The Serie A leaders had Walter Samuel and Ivan Cordoba sent off in the first half on Saturday before Samuel Eto’ was booked for diving in the box, prompting Mourinho to burst out laughing in the dugout and make the gesture to television cameras.

He also insulted the officials in the tunnel at halftime and has been fined $54,500. Defenders Samuel and Cordoba received one-game bans for their dismissals but teammates Esteban Cambiasso and Sulley Muntari were given two-match bans for off-the-field incidents. (Reuters)