Following Roma’s elimination from the Coppa Italia quarterfinals with a 1-0 loss to Lazio on Wednesday, manager Jose Mourinho has playfully dubbed himself “Jose ‘Harry Potter’ Mourinho” and implied that his illustrious career has heightened fans’ expectations for the club. Mourinho expressed his belief that supporters anticipate greater achievements from him due to his successful managerial history.
“The Roma fans are the most incredible I have seen. Their coach is Jose ‘Harry Potter’ Mourinho and he raises expectations,” he said.
“I don’t know how many derbies I’ve played—200, 150—they are always special matches. I’ve won, I’ve drawn, and I’ve lost, always with a different experience.
“I have always understood that for a Chelsea fan, a game against Manchester City is not the same as a game against Arsenal. For Inter, a game against Roma is not the same as a game against Juventus.
“I understand what a derby means. The derby we played was an important derby.”
Mourinho has referenced Potter before, as he claimed he “is not Harry Potter” while manager of Real Madrid in a bid to temper expectations.
Roma is currently trailing by four points behind Fiorentina, who holds the fourth spot in the race for a spot in the Champions League next season.
Additionally, Roma has secured a place in the knockout stages of the Europa League. Although Jose Mourinho’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, he has affirmed his commitment to the club.
“I’ve been here for two years and five months and I’m the only person here who hasn’t missed a single training session in that time,” Mourinho said.
“For me, there are no illnesses or bad moods. For two and a half years, I haven’t done anything wrong, not even a couple of weeks ago when everyone was sick.
“I do not accept in any way that my professionalism and dignity, my heart for this job, can be questioned. If there is a perfect example of professionalism, it is me. I have never missed one match in over 20 years of my career.”