Argentine footballer, Paulo Dybala,confirmed on Thursday that he will stay with AS Roma, putting an end to months of rumors about a high-profile transfer to Saudi Pro League side Al Qadsiah.
Sources reveal that Dybala declined a substantial offer of €75 million ($83M) spread over three years from the Saudi club.
“Thank you Rome…See you on Sunday,” he said in an Instagram post.
Paulo Dybala’s recent choice comes at a time of considerable speculation regarding his future.
On Thursday, he trained away from Roma’s first team and was notably missing from the starting lineup during their Serie A opener against Cagliari last Sunday.
Dybala is in the final year of his contract with Roma, which includes an automatic extension clause if he participates in at least 15 official games this season.
His contract includes a base salary of €7.5 million, with an additional €2 million in performance-related bonuses.
Since transferring from Juventus to Roma in 2022, Dybala has become a pivotal player, amassing 34 goals and 18 assists in 78 matches.
Last week, Roma supporters made their discontent known through protests outside the club’s training facility, urging management to retain the star player.
Dybala’s decision to remain with Roma sparked celebrations among fans, who gathered outside his residence on Thursday night to express their excitement.
Al Qadsiah, a newly promoted Saudi Arabian team with notable players like former Real Madrid defender Nacho Fernandez and ex-Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, had made several efforts to acquire Dybala throughout the summer transfer period.
Dybala’s decision to stay was met with enthusiasm from his Roma and Argentina teammate Leandro Paredes. “For those who haven’t understood it, he remains with us,” he posted.
Jose Mourinho has secured his first role since being dismissed by Roma in January.
The Portuguese manager will make his return to television screens in the United Kingdom this weekend, having been confirmed as a pundit for TNT Sports during the Champions League final on Saturday.
Mourinho, 61, will be at Wembley to provide his insights on the match between his former team, Real Madrid, and Borussia Dortmund as they vie for the European title.
Mourinho was let go by Roma four months ago after nearly three years with the Italian club.
✨ The Special One ✨
A big welcome to José Mourinho as he joins us for our #UCLfinal coverage 👋
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 30, 2024
Now, he steps back into the punditry world, joining a panel that includes former Manchester United players Rio Ferdinand and Owen Hargreaves, as well as ex-Liverpool player Steve McManaman.
The former Chelsea, Tottenham, and Manchester United manager is eyeing a return to management this summer.
He has been linked to a potential move to Saudi Arabia, where he could reunite with former players Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. Turkish clubs Fenerbahce and Besiktas are also reportedly in discussions with him.
Before any of that, Mourinho will have the opportunity to witnessReal Madrid’s pursuit of their 15th European title while Borussia Dortmund aims to secure their first Champions League victory since 1997.
Bayer Leverkusen took a commanding lead in their Europa League semi-final with a 2-0 first-leg victory over Roma in Italy.
Florian Wirtz and Robert Andrich scored the goals for the Bundesliga champions, marking only their second win in Italy. Roma struggled to create opportunities, with striker Romelu Lukaku looking isolated before being substituted in the 80th minute.
Tammy Abraham, Roma’s substitute, missed a late chance to narrow the deficit.
After a slow start, Leverkusen took the lead when Alex Grimaldo set up Wirtz for his 18th goal of the season. Andrich then doubled the lead with a long-range strike in the second half.
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04fussball) May 2, 2024
The win extended Leverkusen’s unbeaten run to 47 matches in all competitions.
In the other semi-final, Marseille and Atalanta drew 1-1 at Stade Velodrome. Gianluca Scamacca put Atalanta ahead early, but Chancel Mbemba equalized with a long-range effort. Both teams had chances to score, leaving the tie open ahead of the second leg in Bergamo.
Antonio Cassano has once againcriticized Jose Mourinho, stating that the Portuguese manager is “completely finished” and “not capable of coaching.”
The former Italy international, known for his time at clubs like Real Madrid and Roma, has been consistently taking jabs at Mourinho since retiring from professional football.
He once said that the ex-Chelsea and Manchester United boss “doesn’t give a sh*t about football. He doesn’t like to work;he doesn’t know how to communicate or speak.”
Mourinho has bitten back at times, but Cassano has now told La Domenica Sportiva, with his old adversary currently out of work after leaving Roma in January: “As a coach, Mourinho is now completely finished. He is not capable of coaching anymore, he is still doing the same things as 10 years ago.
He wouldn’t play [Leandro] Paredes and preferred [Edoardo] Bove to [Lorenzo] Pellegrini. [Daniele] De Rossi gave Roma the belief that this is a strong team: he’s doing an extraordinary job. He was always destined for this.”
Mourinho is not the only experienced tactician to come under fire from Cassano, with the outspoken former forward saying of Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri: “Inter are much, much stronger this season, but seeing as Allegri is a coach who says his career is based on results and he hasn’t won anything in three years, it’s time he stepped aside.
He already should’ve done it last season. Juve have 17 internationals and spent €160million on the transfer market, but they play slapdash football, the players can’t seem to string three passes together.”
Jose Mourinho, a highly accomplished manager with a history of winning major honors at every club he’s led, is currently awaiting offers as he prepares for a possible return to management in the summer of 2024.
The Portuguese coach has been linked with clubs in the English Premier League, German Bundesliga, and Saudi Pro League, signaling his availability for new challenges in various football leagues.
Balotelli, who played under Mourinho during the early stages of his career at Inter, believes that De Rossi will excel as a coach at Roma.
He stated that a change in management always brings a fresh wave of “enthusiasm” to the dressing room.
Speaking to TVPlay, the Adana Demirspor striker said: “I believe that the change of coach always brings enthusiasm to the team; then it must be said that Roma played three easy games. I think De Rossi can do well as a coach; I was convinced that he would have this type of career.”
Since De Rossi took over from Mourinho, there has been a noticeable improvement at Giallorossi.
Under the Italian’s leadership, the Serie A team has secured victories in all of their last three games, propelling them to fifth place in the league standings.
Mourinho’s dismissal came in January following a 3-1 defeat to AC Milan, which left Roma struggling in ninth place.
Roma’s next match will be against league leaders Inter on Saturday in acrucial Serie A encounter. Inter currently lead the table with 57 points, a significant 19 points ahead of Roma.
The timing and manner of Jose Mourinho‘s dismissal came as a surprise more than the sacking itself, with results and mood in the locker room a problem for some time.
In the last press conferences, he appeared disengaged, down in the dumps, almost resigned. He was unrecognisable.
Mourinho was, is and probably will forever be one of the faces of world soccer, which is why his dismissal is always something of a shock. On May 4, 2021, he had been chosen, called and brought to Rome by President Dan Friedkin, the same man who in recent weeks contributed to the decision to put an “end” to his tenure in the capital.
Despite Mourinho’s continuous declarations of love for the team, the fans, and the environment, Friedkin was not pitied or won over by the Special One’s words. Quite the contrary. After a difficult period in which Roma took 6 points out of 18 available, came the decision to sack him.
How did we arrive at this decision? That is the real point of the question. Not whether or not it was right to fire Mourinho, because the team’s performance had drastically declined and ninth place in the standings was not in the least bit acceptable.
Budapest broke Jose and us
A section of Roma fans are not taking the decision to fire Mourinho in January well at all, because in their opinion, the Portuguese has given so much to Roma that he at least deserved the chance to work until June, for better or worse.
The truth, or at least that is the thinking of the person who’s writing this piece, is that the roads had to break after the Budapest final. The cursed final was lost to Sevilla because of a hugely controversial refereeing performance by Anthony Taylor.
José Mourinho’s record with Roma:
▪️ 138 games ▪️ 68 wins ▪️ 30 draws ▪️ 40 losses ▪️ 49% win percentage 🥈 Europa League final 🏆 Conference League pic.twitter.com/AH2BsJaW6S
That night was to endMourinho’s adventure at Roma with a victory and another trophy lifted to the sky—an incredible, legendary success that Mourinho and his Roma had deserved on the pitch, playing better with heart, pride, and dignity. Something broke that night—not only the hearts of Roma fans but probably Jose’s himself.
The truth is that it is impossible to judge Mourinho’s experience at Roma by talking only about results. No one can call his experience a “failure,” and the reasons for this are many. First of all, Mourinho won the Conference League, Roma’s first European trophy (apart from the Fairs Cup), he then came close to clinching the Europa League trophy.
He also allowed the arrival of champions such as Paulo Dybala and Romelu Lukaku, he created in Rome an atmosphere not seen in a long time of union of absolute enthusiasm between the city, the team and the fans; he made so many fans proud; he defended Roma against everything and everyone.
Roma fans were proud of Mourinho’s Roma and of having the Portuguese on the bench, despite the fact that at times things were difficult and the results were not satisfactory. And that in Rome is more important than anything else.
The fact that they felt represented and defended, that they felt that Mourinho was speaking for their people, made Romanisti fall in love with the Portuguese coach, whose name will forever be linked to that of the Giallorossi team. Even if he had won nothing, the journey would still have been unforgettable and forever cherished by Roma fans.
Only Roma fans understand what Jose meant to the club
Giallorossi fans did not start rooting for Roma because of the successes, because of the trophies, because of the titles, but because no other team has that same sense of community, conveys that sense of family. Feeling part of something, feeling represented, that feeling of being “unique” and being “chosen,” – that is what matters most to a Roma fan.
And Mourinho was all of this and more: he had chosen Roma despite being bigger than the club, he spoke on behalf of the fans and defended them against everything and everyone, he spoke words of love despite having coached in Madrid, Milan, London.
No one will ever be able to understand what Mourinho has been for Roma except Roma fans. No fan of any other team will ever understand the empathy, the sharing of battles and values, perhaps not even Roma fans themselves, who at least had the luck and joy of sharing those emotions with other brothers and sisters.
De Rossi’s return something we needed
To replace Jose, Dan Friedkin chose Daniele De Rossi.The man who embodied Romanism and cheered for Roma like no other in history. It was a risky choice from a technical point of view because, although DDR grew up as a player under some of the best coaches in the history of soccer, his only experience on the bench had been at SPAL, which started badly and ended worse.
Daniele signed a contract almost at the minimum wage; he told the owner, “You choose the salary; I don’t care; I’ll sign anyway.”. An act of love, yet another from De Rossi, who, as a player, said, “My only regret is that I could only donate one career to Roma,” and now here is the chance to give his great love another career, that of coaching.
Some have called the decision to entrust him with the team not very clever but he does not care about that; he has already said he will fight to the death to stay on that bench well beyond the 4 months stipulated in the current agreement. “You can’t refuse Roma,” DDR explained, and after the conference, he went straight onto the field to try to solve the team’s problems.
DISCLAIMER: Independentghana.com will not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author’s, and do not reflect those of The Independent Ghana
Roma has swiftly appointed Daniele De Rossi as interim manager until the end of the season, immediately following the departure ofJose Mourinho. De Rossi, a beloved figure at the club, having spent 18 years as a player at the Olimpico, will serve as the head coach until June 30, 2024.
The former Italy international, who is a massive crowd favourite, is set to take charge of his first game against Verona on Saturday evening.
After signing his contract, Rossi said, “I would like to thank the Friedkin family for entrusting me with the responsibility of Roma’s head coach role. From my side, I know no other way but dedication, daily sacrifices, and giving everything I have to face the challenges that await us from now until the end of the season.
“The excitement of being able to sit on our bench is indescribable. Everyone knows what Roma means to me. However, the work that awaits us all has already taken precedence. We have no time or choice but to be competitive, fight for our goals, and try to achieve them, which are the only priorities my staff and I have set for ourselves.”
Roma’s recent 3-1 defeat to AC Milan proved to be the final straw for Mourinho in Rome. This loss marked their seventh in 20 Serie A games, and they’ve already been eliminated from the Coppa Italia after a 1-0 loss to Lazio in the quarter-finals. Presently positioned in ninth place in Serie A, there’s still potential for a revival to secure a spot in the Champions League, as they are only five points behind fourth-placed Fiorentina.
De Rossi, who holds the record for the club’s all-time appearances with 616, retired after an illustrious career with Roma, scoring 63 goals. Following his retirement, he joined Roberto Mancini’s coaching staff and guided Italy to their second-ever European Championship at Euro 2020. However, his coaching tenure with Serie B side SPAL ended abruptly as he was dismissed mid-season with the team struggling in the 18th position.
Roma fans are hopeful for a swift change in fortunes under De Rossi’s leadership as they prepare to host a struggling Verona in their upcoming home match. Verona currently finds themselves in the relegation zone, having won only four of their 20 matches in the Italian top flight.
Jose Mourinho’s position is reportedly hanging in the balance, with a strict 30-day deadline set for him to reverse the fortunes of the struggling Giallorossi.
Despite being a favourite among fans, the board is growing increasingly frustrated with the team’s lacklustre performance on the field.
While Mourinho secured the UEFA Europa Conference League title, ending a 14-year trophy drought in his first season and reaching another European final, consecutive sixth-place finishes in Serie A have thwarted their entry into the UEFA Champions League.
Hopes of reaching the European elite in the 2024–25 season have been dashed by a dismal start, leaving them in eighth place in the league standings after five months.
Mourinho is reportedly on shaky ground, and Francesco Balzani has indicated that the manager has a one-month ultimatum to reposition the team in the top-four race. With his contract set to expire in the summer, an extension might be denied if results do not improve.
The club has contingency plans, considering Daniele de Rossi as an interim option, while Raffaele Palladino and Vincenzo Montella are being monitored as potential alternatives.
Mourinho faced disciplinary action twice within a week, receiving red cards during Roma’s matches against Atalanta and Lazio in Serie A and the Coppa Italia, respectively, due to his excessive reactions against match officials.
However, the fans have stood by him and even unfurled a tifo in the Olimpico that read: “Eyes intoxicated with red and yellow, a soul filled with romanismo…Jose Mourinho Romanista for life!”
Mourinho was floored by such warmth and he publicly admitted that he wants to continue at Roma “I haven’t spoken to the owners but I want to continue coaching Roma; the fans are unique,” he said. “A separation would be hard for me. And if a separation ever happens, it would not be my decision.”
Mourinho is once again grappling with third-season challenges at Roma, and he faces the daunting task of steering the Giallorossi back to success. His upcoming journey will be no cakewalk, with the team set to face AC Milan at San Siro in the Italian top flight.
However, a victory against the Rossoneri could offer Mourinho the much-needed breathing room. Currently trailing by four points behind fourth-placed Fiorentina, a consistent improvement in performance over the next few months may be sufficient to secure his elusive fourth season in the Italian capital.
Jose Mourinho criticisedVAR and what he described as a “penalty tailored to modern football” following Roma’s 1-0 loss to Lazio in a tense Coppa Italia quarterfinal on Wednesday.
The only goal of the game came in the 51st minute, when Mattia Zaccagni converted a penalty for Lazio. The decision was based on the foul adjudged to have been committed by Roma defender Dean Huijsen on Taty Castellanos.
“We lost to what I will call a penalty suited to modern football, one that the referee does not give when he is three metres away and VAR does,” Mourinho said afterward.
“This is how the referees are told to act—20–30 years ago, players would never go down the way they do here. A penalty ought to be seen as the maximum punishment. The referee was right there and decided not to give the penalty, but when there is someone in front of a screen that calls him for a minimal contact and the player puts on a show following that contact, there’s not much he can do.”
In a typically intense derby clash, the match concluded with three players receiving red cards in the closing minutes.
Lazio forward Pedro faced expulsion in the sixth minute of stoppage time, having received two yellow cards within a span of two minutes.
Roma forward Sardar Azmoun received a straight red card for essentially slapping Lazio midfielder Nicolo Rovella on the back of the head. Additionally, teammate Gianluca Mancini was sent off for dissent after the final whistle.
The heated atmosphere extended to the supporters, with Roma midfielder Edoardo Bove being struck by a glass bottle thrown from the crowd during his substitution in the second half.
Roma’s challenging day was compounded by key forward Paulo Dybala being forced off at halftime due to yet another muscular injury in his extensive list. The World Cup winner from Argentina is now a doubt for the upcoming Serie A match against AC Milan on Sunday. Adding to their woes, manager Mourinho will also be absent, serving a suspension after being sent off in the previous weekend’s match.
“He suffered the usual muscle injury,” Mourinho said. “He played a very physical match two days ago and was on the pitch for 80 minutes. This was a demanding game and he wanted to play.
“When Paulo goes down, everything becomes more difficult”
Roma is set to clash with Feyenoord in the Europa League knockout round play-offs, marking their third consecutive encounter in European competitions.
Having triumphed over the Dutch side in the inaugural Europa Conference League final in 2022 and the Europa League quarter-final last season, Jose Mourinho’s team aims to secure a spot in the last 16.
The winner of this tie may potentially face Liverpool, West Ham, or Brighton, all of whom automatically qualified for the last 16 by topping their respective groups.
Another notable play-off fixture features AC Milan, Champions League semi-finalists in 2022-23, squaring off against Rennes.
Milan, yet to claim the Europa League title, enters the competition after finishing third in their Champions League group. Galatasaray, surpassing Manchester United in their Champions League pool, is set for a two-legged clash against Slavia Prague.
Ajax faces a potentially challenging route to the Europa Conference League last 16 as they are set to encounter Bodo/Glimt in the play-offs. Despite finishing third in their Europa League group, the Dutch giants aim to overcome the Norwegian side to advance in the European campaign this season.
The winners of the Conference League knockout round play-offs will be matched against the eight teams that secured the top spots in the group stage, including Premier League club Aston Villa.
Meanwhile, LaLiga side Real Betis is drawn against Dinamo Zagreb, and the 2021-22 Europa League champions, Eintracht Frankfurt, will take on Union Saint-Gilloise.
Roma continued their flawless performance in the 2023/24 UEFA Europa League (UEL) group stage, securing a relatively comfortable victory against Slavia Prague with two early goals.
The atmosphere before the match was charged with the bitter memories of a heart-wrenching extra-time defeat to Jiri Vavra’s goal in the 1995/96 UEFA Cup.
However, Roma’s current squad wasted no time seeking revenge.
In the very first minute, Stephan El Shaarawy set up Edoardo Bove, who unleashed a remarkable long-range shot into the far corner of Ales Mandous’ net, making it Bove’s third consecutive opening goal.
La Lupa’s dream started to improve further in the 17th minute.
Slavia mistake allowed Roma to initiate an attack from the back.
El Shaarawy, with his quick thinking, played a clever pass to put Romelu Lukaku through the defensive lines. Lukaku, with his powerful prowess, charged towards the goal and slotted the ball into the net at the near post with his left foot, maintaining his perfect scoring record in the UEL group stage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln90VtL4YTQ
Lukaku continued to trouble Slavia throughout the first half, although the Czech team was fortunate to trail only 2-0 at halftime, with a low shot from Mick van Buren narrowly deflected wide by Mile Svilar.
While the second half didn’t see a repetition of Roma’s explosive start, both teams maintained a consistent passing tempo. El Shaarawy struck the crossbar after a pass from Zeki Celik, while Slavia’s Ivan Schranz missed a chance to score, which was their best opportunity until that point.
With one eye perhaps focused on their upcoming challenging match against Inter Milan, Roma seemed content to allow Slavia more possession, limiting the Czech team to long-range attempts.
In reality, there was little doubt about Roma’s third consecutive victory in the UEL group stage, marking their sixth consecutive win overall.
Their impeccable home record against Czech teams remained unblemished. Despite their early mistakes, Slavia is still comfortably positioned in second place, with a five-point lead, as Servette and Sheriff Tiraspol played to a 1-1 draw in another match.
Jose Mourinho says he could get a 10-game ban if he speaks his mind about Roma‘s defeat to Sevilla in the Europa League final last season.
The team from Spain called Sevilla won a game on penalties. This made Mourinho, who used to coach Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham, lose a European final for the first time.
Mourinho, who coached Roma in Italy, became very angry with English referee Anthony Taylor after the 2023 Europa League final. Mourinho said that Taylor acted like he was from Spain.
Mourinho angrily spoke to Europa League officials in the parking lot after the game and used offensive language towards them.
Referee Taylor and his family were then attacked by Roma fans at an airport. The fans were throwing chairs and bottles at the Premier League official.
Mourinho got a punishment of not being able to play in four matches because of his actions. Mark Halsey, a former referee in the Premier League, criticized Mourinho and said he should have been given a bigger punishment.
The manager from Portugal, who led United to win the Europa League in 2017, has recently talked about his different experiences in European competitions.
Mourinho told Sky that winning the Europa League with Manchester United felt like something that happens regularly to him. I can’t express my thoughts about Roma-Sevilla because I might be banned from playing for 10 games.
I believe that the Roma-Leicester match in the 2022 Europa Conference League semi-final was equally significant compared to the Roma-Feyenoord match in the 2022 Europa Conference League final.
I have never shed tears on the field after losing a game. Sometimes, I feel so happy that I cry when we win, and these two games are very important for Roma in their history.
Romelu Lukaku, a professional football athlete, has voiced his wish to depart from Chelsea in favor of joining Roma. Both clubs are currently in talks to arrange a temporary transfer agreement.
Lukaku was supposed to stay with Inter permanently after his loan, but Inter got upset when they found out he was also talking to Juventus.
Chelsea and Juventus talked a lot about a deal for Lukaku. They also talked about Vlahovic moving to Chelsea. But they couldn’t agree on a deal.
Juventus fans made it obvious that they were not happy about Lukaku possibly joining the team. They expressed their dissension by demonstrating during a pre-season game.
According to The Telegraph, Lukaku has changed his mind about joining Juventus and has told Chelsea that he wants to join Roma instead.
The report says that Chelsea and Roma are currently discussing an agreement that would allow Lukaku to go on loan to the Serie A league for the rest of the season.
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino said that Lukaku will not be allowed back in the team.
“I haven’t talked to him yet because nothing has changed,” said Pochettino.
If the player and the club want to figure things out, they should talk to each other, not me. They can let me know if something is different.
I won’t move until either the club or the player decide to talk to me. I agreed with the situation when I got here. I couldn’t make any changes.
It happened before we got here. In the future, things may be different. Football is a sport where things can constantly change. Life can be different. Right now, today, everything is still the same. If something is different, we will change to fit in with the new situation.
Armando Broja’s loan from Chelsea to Roma has been discussed, but the Blues are unwilling to let the striker leave the team.
The 21-year-old has been sidelined since the end of 2022 due to a major knee injury, but he is very close to finishing his recovery and could return to the field by next month.
It is a little surprising that Roma would want to sign him to a short-term contract given how long he has been sidelined and how unfit he still is, but according to Sky Sports, the Italians have spoken to the Blues about the potential of taking the Albanian on loan.
Chelsea, however, has rejected the Serie A team’s request to sign Broja, especially in light of Christopher Nkunku’s recent significant knee injury, which could keep him out until December.
AC Milan has also expressed interest in the teenage forward, but should they make a bid for him, they will face the same opposition as Roma.
With summer acquisition Nicolas Jackson starting the opening Premier League match of the year as Chelsea drew 1-1 with Liverpool, new Blues manager Mauricio Pochettino does not have an abundance of options for the central striker position.
While Pochettino has access to other forwards, they are either more at home out wide or deeper, while Romelu Lukaku is still with the team but is anticipated to leave before the transfer window shuts.
Jackson looked energetic throughout the entire game against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, but he missed one very fine opportunity.
Chelsea’s centre-back Thiago Silva has revealed that he has had conversations with Paulo Dybala about a potential move to the Blues this summer.
Dybala, who has been heavily linked with a transfer to Stamford Bridge, is reportedly a target for Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino as he looks to strengthen his team’s attacking options.
According to reports from Football London, Chelsea has already reinforced their forward line with the signings of Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson.
However, the addition of Dybala could further enhance their squad.
The Argentine forward had an impressive season with Roma, contributing to 19 goals in his debut campaign under the guidance of coach Jose Mourinho.
Silva’s discussions with Dybala suggest that Chelsea is actively pursuing the player and exploring the possibility of bringing him to the club to bolster their attacking firepower.
Silva wants Dybala at Chelsea
Silva has further fueled speculation that Dybala is a wanted man at Stamford Bridge after revealing he has spoken with the Argentine over a possible move.
Metro UK reports that Dybala is currently in England on holiday and has been taking in some huge sporting events.
The Argentina international has since linked up with Silva, with the Brazilian defender expressing his desire to play with the forward at Chelsea.
“I saw Paulo Dybala here, they [the media] talk about him coming to Chelsea,” Silva told Sky Sport Italia, via Metro UK.
“I’ve talked with him and asked him if he is coming. He is a world-class player,” he added.
Mourinho on Dybala joining Chelsea
Earlier, Sports Brief reported that AS Roma boss, Jose Mourinho has broken his silence on reports that Chelsea are looking to sign Paulo Dybala this summer.
Dybala has spent just one season with Roma, having joined them in the summer of 2022 from Serie A rivals Juventus.
Reports claim the Blues are leading the race to sign the Argentine forward in the coming weeks.
Super Eagles striker, Umar Sadiq, recently posted a heartwarming photo of himself and his daughter Aisha as he continues his recovery from injury.
The 26-year-old former Roma player sustained a right knee injury during a match for Real Sociedad on September 11 last year, forcing him to miss the remainder of the season.
The injury was a significant setback for Sadiq and his fans, who had high hopes for his goal-scoring abilities at Real Sociedad last season.
Nonetheless, the photo of Sadiq and his daughter stepping out onto the pitch together brings a touch of joy amid his ongoing recovery.
Umar Sadiq and daughter Aisha
Real Sociedad had a successful season even without the presence of Umar Sadiq in their squad.
They secured a fifth-place finish in the league, earning them a spot in the Europa League.
Despite not being able to contribute on the pitch, Sadiq expressed his gratitude to God for blessing him with a wonderful daughter, as seen in the picture he shared on his official Instagram page.
Umar Sadiq hails daughter Aisha
”Aisha, you are a blessing and the mother of the believers, and all I pray is my GOD should keep protecting and guiding you to the straight path.”
In the comment session, Sadiq was criticized for not covering his daughter Aisha with the traditional hijab, in a report also seen on Pulse andNaija Sports.
Earlier, Sports Brief had reported that Victor Osimhen has offered his maximum support for Jose Peseiro, claiming that the former Venezuela gaffer is the right man for the Super Eagles ahead of the 2023 African Cup of Nations.
The Nigerian Football Federation chiefs are yet to make their final decision on the future of Peseiro as a handler of the three-time African champions after the expiration of his contract at the end of June.
Peseiro’s journey as the Super Eagles boss started after the team failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, losing the playoffs against Ghana.
The AS Roma manager conveyed his decision in a formal letter to UEFA’s Chief of Football, Zvonimir Boban.
While the exact reason for Mourinho’s departure remains undisclosed, the wording in his letter suggests that it may be connected to the lengthy ban he received on June 21.
This ban was a consequence of his verbal confrontation with match official Anthony Taylor following the Europa League final between Roma and Sevilla in Budapest last month.
A viral video showed the veteran tactician hurling insults at the English official in what looked like a parking lot. Taylor and his family were later confronted by Roma fans at the Budapest Airport.
In his letter to UEFA, Mourinho thanked the European governing football body for their invitation.
“In thanking you for the invitation you extended to me to be a member of the UEFA football board, I regret to inform you that, effective immediately, I will be renouncing my participation in this group.”
The Portuguese tactician stated plainly that the board was no longer following the ideals he believed in.
“The conditions which I so strongly believed in when I joined are no longer standing and I felt the obligation to take this decision. I kindly ask that you also communicate my decision to the President Mr. Aleksander Ceferin,” he said, as quoted by the Athletic.
Roma are expected to appeal against the ban once they get a full details of the judgement.
What is UEFA’s Football Board?
The board is comprised of a group of former players and elite coaches, brought together to tackle issues in the game of football, such as the laws and schedules.
As UEFA reports, the executive committee approved the board on April 24 and they meet in Nyon annually.
Apart from Mourinho, other coaches on the board include Carlo Ancelotti, Zinedine Zidane, Gareth Southgate, and Ronald Koeman. Former players include Petr Cech, Gareth Bale, and Juan Mata.
Mourinho’s future at Roma
Sports Brief has also reported that Mourinho’s next coaching move remains unclear after AS Roma lost the UEFA Europa League final against Sevilla in a controversial manner.
The Portuguese veteran joined the Italians in 2021 on a three-year contract, but after two years of overachieving with limited financial backing, there are doubts he will continue.
Mourinho guided Roma to winning the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League in his first season in charge and reached back-to-back European cup finals in his second season.
UEFA has announced thatJose Mourinho, the manager of Roma, has received a four-match suspension in European competitions for verbally insulting referee Anthony Taylor following the team’s defeat to Sevilla in the Europa League final.
The incident occurred when Mourinho confronted Taylor in a car park after Roma’s penalty shoot-out loss, following a 1-1 draw in Budapest.
Mourinho has been banned from “the next four UEFA club competition matches in which he would otherwise participate, for directing abusive language at a match official”, European football’s governing body said.
Roma have also been fined 50,000 euros ($54,744) and banned from taking away fans to their next European match “for the lighting of fireworks, throwing of objects, acts of damage and crowd disturbances”.
The Italian club were also fined 5,000 euros over the “improper conduct of their team” and ordered to “contact the Hungarian Football Federation within 30 days” due to damages caused by their supporters in the stadium.
Taylor was harassed by Roma fans at Budapest airport with his family the day after the controversial final.
An Italian man was charged with affray after the ugly clash.
Referees’ body PGMOL said: “We are appalled at the unjustified and abhorrent abuse directed at Anthony and his family as he tries to make his way home from refereeing theUEFA Europa League final.”
Taylor booked 13 players, seven of them from Roma, while the bad-tempered game was littered with delays due to the unusually high number of fouls.
It was Sevilla’s seventh Europa League triumph and the first European final defeat of Mourinho’s managerial career.
Following Roma’s 2-1 victory over relegation strugglers Spezia in their final game of the season, Jose Mourinho appeared to convey his intention to stay at the club through a gesture to the fans.
The renowned coach’s unexpected arrival at Roma in 2021 came with a three-year contract, and he quickly won over the Giallorossi supporters by securing the Europa Conference League title in his debut season.
In his second season, Mourinho guided the team to their second European final, the Europa League, although they suffered a controversial penalty shootout defeat of 4-1.
Jose Mourinho confronts Anthony Taylor during the Europa League final between Sevilla and AS Roma. Photo by Clive Rose.
Speculation surrounds Mourinho’s future at the club, as several top clubs have managerial vacancies, while Roma’s lack of significant investment in the squad, under the watchful eye of Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, adds further uncertainty. Nonetheless, Mourinho’s gesture hints at a potential continuation of his coaching journey with Roma.
Mourinho’s telling reaction to fans
Roma put the disappointment of the Europa League final loss aside, and will re-enter the competition next season after finishing sixth in the Serie A table.
According to Eurosport, Paulo Dybala scored a late equaliser from the spot to help Roma finish sixth and send his former club Juventus to the Europa Conference League next season.
As seen in a video shared on Twitter by La Roma 24, Mourinho was walking off the pitch when fans quizzed him about his future. His reaction suggested he would stay, after he pointed to the ground and waved back.
The former Chelsea boss revealed after the Europa League final that he will proceed on holiday today and hold talks with the club later.
He also revealed that Portugal’s national team approached him before they hired Roberto Martinez.
Mourinho risks lengthy ban
Sports Brief reported that Jose Mourinho risked lengthy ban after he ambushed English referee Anthony Taylor in the parking lot after the Europa League final.
Taylor had a poor outing, and Mourinho clarified his feelings by screaming explicit words at him. This could earn him a lengthy ban after an investigation by UEFA.
UEFA has initiated disciplinary proceedings against AS Roma coach Jose Mourinho following allegations of him verbally abusing the referee during the Europa League final against Sevilla.
Mourinho’s actions were captured on video as he was seen repeatedly referring to English referee Anthony Taylor as a “disgrace” during an expletive-laden outburst in the car park of the stadium in Budapest after Roma’s defeat in the final, which concluded with a penalty shootout.
Roma will also be charged after their supporters threw objects and lit fireworks and caused crowd disturbances.
Sevilla were charged with similar infractions.
Taylor booked 13 players, seven of them Roma players, while the bad-tempered game was littered with delays due to the unusually high number of fouls.
The English referee was then targeted by angry Roma supporters at Budapest Airport.
Referees’ body PGMOL said: “We are appalled at the unjustified and abhorrent abuse directed at Anthony and his family as he tries to make his way home from refereeing the UEFA Europa League final.”
Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey has called for a ban to be imposed on Jose Mourinho for ‘indefensible’ behaviour during and after the Europa League final.
Mourinho lost his first ever European final on Wednesday, May 31 as Roma were beaten by Sevilla on penalties.
Mark Halsey, former Premier League referee
Mourinho was highly critical of referee Anthony Taylor throughout the game, and took his frustrations out on the English referee after full time in the car park.
A video doing rounds on social media shows an irate Mourinho muttering “You’re a (expletive) disgrace” in reference to Taylor’s performance in the Europa League final.
That was not the end of Taylor’s woes as the referee was swarmed by angry Roma fans at the airport as he was preparing for a flight back in Britain from Budapest, as reported on Sky Sports.
This series of events have divided fans online, with majority now turning on Mourinho, who they blamed for Anthony Taylor’s encounter with the fans.
Meanwhile, Halsey, who officiated in the Premier League from 1999 to 2013, believes a heavy ban should be imposed on Mourinho and Roma.
“Jose Mourinho’s attack on Anthony Taylor in the Budapest car park was indefensible,” Halsey wrote as quoted on Express Sport.
“Fines and touchline bans are not a deterrent, so I hope Europe’s governing body acts,” added Halsey.
“The level of abuse towards officials is evident in Europe and in English football and points deductions are the only answer. The FA revealed this week they are bringing this punishment into grassroots football but it should start at the top.
According to the former Premier League referee, Sevilla and Roma should also be slapped with a three-point deduction from their next European campaigns.
“I would also ban Mourinho, wherever he goes, for six games because of his unacceptable conduct.” He went on.
Mourinho congratulated Sevilla coach before final penalty
Sports Brief also reported on an interesting incident that saw Mourinho congratulated the Sevilla manager before the penalty shootout was over in the Europa League final.
During the shootout, Sevilla’s Gonzalo Montiel stepped up, but his first effort was stopped by Rui Patricio.
Anthony Taylor, however, ordered the penalty to be retaken after replays showed the keeper was off his line before the ball was struck.
Just before the Argentine went in for his second attempt, Mourinho approached the Sevilla huddle and congratulated opposition coach, Jose Mendilibar.
The group representing referees has strongly denounced the “abhorrent” abuse directed atAnthony Taylor in Budapest.
Following Taylor’s controversial performance in the Europa League final, where he refereed the match between Sevilla and Roma, he and his family faced harassment from angry fans at Budapest Airport.
The referees’ group condemned the behavior as unacceptable and reprehensible. Videos circulating on social media captured the incident, showing Taylor and his family trying to navigate through the crowd.
In the match itself, Taylor issued a total of 13 yellow cards, with seven of them given to Roma players, and the game was frequently interrupted due to a high number of fouls.
Anthony Taylor was accosted by fans on his way home from the Europa League final in Budapest (Adam Davy/PA)
A chair and a bottle were thrown in the direction of the referee and his group.
Taylor and his family were eventually led out of a cafe and into a secure area by airport security.
The English official was also targeted by Roma boss Jose Mourinho, who was seen gesticulating at Taylor and calling him a “disgrace” in a profanity-laced tirade in the stadium car park after the match.
Responding to the incident at the airport, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) said in a statement: “PGMOL is aware of videos circulating on social media showing Anthony Taylor and his family being harassed and abused at Budapest Airport.
“We are appalled at the unjustified and abhorrent abuse directed at Anthony and his family as he tries to make his way home from refereeing the UEFA Europa League final.
“We will continue to provide our full support to Anthony and his family.”
Refsupport UK added: “This is so, so worrying to see and we hope Anthony and his family are ok.
“This is why we believe organisations like the LMA_Managers and the PFA as well as the WeAreTheFSA need to come out and condemn such behaviour in this country.
“Managers’ comments and players’ behaviour encourage this and it is on a worrying rise where a serious incident or murder is just around the corner.”
UEFA is awaiting Taylor’s report before deciding whether to take action against Mourinho for his rant.
Taylor booked Mourinho during the game, which finished 1-1 after extra time before Sevilla won on penalties.
It was Sevilla’s seventh Europa League triumph and the first European final defeat of Mourinho’s managerial career.
The refereeing organization, PGMOL, have expressed their shock and condemnation over the “unwarranted and appalling” abuse directed at Anthony Taylor.
Disturbing video footage surfaced, showing Taylor and his family being confronted by a group of angry fans at Budapest Airport.
As he was returning home after officiating the Europa League final between Roma and Sevilla in the Hungarian capital, the mob shouted at him while Taylor and his family attempted to evade them.
Anthony Taylor, referee of the Europa League final, attacked at the Budapest airport.
Following Roma’s defeat to Sevilla on penalties, Roma manager Jose Mourinho criticized Taylor’s performance during his post-match press conference. However, the abusive treatment directed at the Premier League official is considered entirely unjustified and abhorrent by PGMOL.
And in video footage which later emerged on social media, the former Chelsea and Manchester United manager is seen gesticulating at Taylor and officials in the stadium car park and heard saying “disgrace”.
Following the incident at the airport, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited said: “PGMOL is aware of videos circulating on social media showing Anthony Taylor and his family being harassed and abused at Budapest Airport.
“We are appalled at the unjustified and abhorrent abuse directed at Anthony and his family as he tries to make his way home from refereeing the UEFA Europa League final.
“We will continue to provide our full support to Anthony and his family.”
UEFA is awaiting Taylor’s reports before deciding whether to take action against Mourinho for his rant.
Taylor booked Mourinho during the game, which finished 1-1 after extra time before Sevilla sealed their seventh Europa League triumph by winning 4-1 in a penalty shoot-out.
Tempers simmered on and off the pitch in a disappointing final, with 13 players shown yellow cards, seven of them to Roma players, while fourth official Michael Oliver had his work cut out to keep control of both dug-outs.
The game was littered with delays, with a total of 25 minutes’ stoppage time added to the 120 minutes of playing time.
UEFA is currently waiting for the match official’s reports before making a decision on whether to take action againstJose Mourinho regarding his outburst towards referee Anthony Taylor following Roma’s loss in the Europa League final, according to the PA news agency.
After the penalty shoot-out defeat to Sevilla in Budapest on Wednesday night, Mourinho expressed criticism towards Taylor during his post-match press conference.
Additionally, video footage circulating on social media captured the former Chelsea and Manchester United manager gesturing towards Taylor and other officials in the stadium car park, accompanied by him uttering the word “disgrace.”
Taylor booked Mourinho during the game, which finished 1-1 after extra time before Sevilla sealed their seventh Europa League triumph by winning 4-1 in a penalty shoot-out.
Tempers simmered on and off the pitch in a disappointing final, with 13 players shown yellow cards, seven of them to Roma players, while fourth official Michael Oliver had his work cut out to keep control of both dug-outs.
The game was littered with delays, with a total of 25 minutes’ stoppage time added to the 120 minutes of playing time.
Mourinho lost for the first time in his sixth major European final, while Sevilla extended their record number of tournament wins following previous successes in 2006, 2007, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2020.
Sevilla won their seventh UEFA Europa League title on Wednesday night in Budapest after defeatingAS Roma in the championship match.
Paulo Dybala scored first, but Gianluca Mancini’s own goal negated it, forcing the three-hour gritty contest into the dreaded penalty shootout.
After a difficult season, Sports Brief looks at the five lessons learned from Sevilla’s defining moment.
Sevilla remain unscathed in UEL
The Andalusian club is to the Europa League what Real Madrid is to the UEFA Champions League. This was their seventh triumph in their seventh final in Europe’s second-tier club competition.
After going down in the first half via a perfectly struck Paulo Dybala goal, Sevilla clawed back into the game after recess and never looked back until the final spot kick was converted by Gonzalo Montiel, the man who scored Argentina’s World Cup final-winning penalty.
At this juncture, it is safe to say that the La Liga club are the landlords of this competition, and have every right under the sun to feel entitled to winning the trophy anytime they make the final.
Mourinho loses impeccable final record
Jose Mourinho had to surrender his perfect record in European finals to Sevilla in Budapest when his Roma side lost on penalties. The defeat was Mourinho’s first-ever defeat in the grand finale of a European competition.
After inspiring the Giallorossi to Conference League success, the club’s maiden European trophy, the former Real Madrid and Chelsea boss was seeking to become the first manager to win the Europa League with three different clubs, but Sevilla had other ideas.
The defeat means Mourinho’s gamble of putting all his eggs in one basket failed this time. There will be no European nights in the Eternal City for Mourinho and his charges next season- that is, if he still remains at Roma.
Mendilibar’s tactical masterstroke
José Luis Mendilibar, only in the Sevilla job for three months and on a mission to rescue a team threatened by relegation, was coaching his 965th game, but only his fifth in Europe. The experienced gaffer weaved his tactical magic to inspire a comeback which was completed by their penalty shoot-out success.
But before then, his raft of changes in the second half proved to be a masterstroke. Sevilla’s blunt attack in the first half was replaced with unerring precision with the introduction of Lamela and Suso, which resulted in the equalizer.
The 62-year-old became the fourth manager to win this trophy with Sevilla, per the Guardian.
Controversy rocks final
A gruelling night of European action continued for three hours and past midnight to determine the winner between Sevilla and AS Roma.
Like almost every other final, the game was rocked with controversy. First, referee Anthony Taylor had to overrule his initial penalty call in the 75th minute after a VAR review.
The Englishman then became an ‘enemy’ to the Romanistas, who felt they deserved a penalty of their own after a cross struck a Sevilla defender’s hand.
As if that was not enough, Gonzalo Montiel’s initial missed penalty was retaken, much to the chagrin of Mourinho and his charges, who levelled expletives at the referee and his officials after his side lost.
Mourinho throws medal away
Jose Mourinho has been accused of having a ‘sour loser’ attitude, and this was epitomized by his moment of ‘madness’ when he rushed ahead of his players to take his silver medal, before throwing it into the crowd.
To be fair, the Portuguese tactician had invested his all in the final and was banking on his proven track record in such games.
Mourinho throws away medal
It was therefore understandable how and why Mourinho vented in such a manner.
The medal was caught by a lucky young fan in the stands. This is not the first time the ‘Special One’ has pulled such a stunt.
He also threw his Premier League winners’ medal into the stands after guiding Chelsea to their first English top-flight success after five decades.
After hisAS Roma team suffered a defeat to Sevilla in the Europa League final at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Jose Mourinho reacted by throwing his runners-up medal into the crowd moments after receiving it on May 31.
The match saw a first-half goal by Paulo Dybala countered by a Gianluca Mancini own goal, leading to a penalty shootout.
Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou’s save on Mancini’s penalty, along with Roger Ibanez hitting the crossbar, secured Sevilla’s victory and maintained their flawless record in the Europa League final.
It was the first time that Mourinho had lost a European final and the Portuguese manager was, as expected, not impressed about it. Bizarre scenes rocked the medal awarding ceremony when Mourinho broke ranks with his team and went for his medal alone.
Jose Mourinho throws away his runners-up medal to a fan after losing the Europa League final to Sevilla on May 31. Photo by Jonathan Moscrop.
Source: Getty Images
The 60-year-old left his team behind and rushed to the podium to pick his silver medal even before the match officials could be feted. As soon as the medal was hung around his neck, ‘the Special One’ removed it and made a beeline for down the tunnel.
He was then spotted throwing his medal away, which was caught by a young fan in the stands. UEFA officials led by President Aleksander Čeferin then gave the medals to match officials before the rest of the AS Roma squad followed.
Mourinho lashes out at Anthony Taylor
Sports Brief has also reported that Mourinho was spotted hurling obscenities at match referee Anthony Taylor. Mourinho was far from unhappy with some of the decisions made by the English referee.
A video has now surfaced online where Mourinho is heard shouting expletives. The insults are said to have been directed at Anthony Taylor and his team.
“You are a (expletive) disgrace.”
Jose Mourinho confronts Anthony Taylor during the Europa League final between Sevilla and AS Roma. Photo by Clive Rose.
Premier League referee Taylor made a couple of controversial decisions during the game. He first awarded a penalty to Sevilla after Luis Ocampos had been brought down. However, after a VAR review, he rescinded the decision.
After seeing his AS Roma team lose the Europa League final to Sevilla on May 31, Jose Mourinho was seen cursing at referee Anthony Taylor.
Some of the judgements made by the English referee did not make Mourinho happy. After a one-all tie in regulation and extra time, the closely contested battle had to be decided in penalty shootouts.
Roma missed two penalty kicks, allowing Sevilla to win the Europa League for the seventh time. That was Mourinho’s first-ever European championship game. The Portuguese manager hurriedly grabbed his trophy and walked off the pitch.
A video has now surfaced online where Mourinho is heard shouting expletives. Italian Football TV reports that the insults were directed at Anthony Taylor and his team.
The incident happened in what appears to be the parking lot, with Mourinho shouting towards someone not captured in the video. He interchanges between English and Italian languages.
— Italian Football TV (@IFTVofficial) June 1, 2023
“You are a (expletive) disgrace.”
Premier League referee Taylor made a couple of controversial decisions during the game. He first awarded a penalty to Sevilla after Luis Ocampos had been brought down. However, after a VAR review, he rescinded the decision.
Anthony Taylor’s decisions
Premier League referee Taylor made a couple of controversial decisions during the game. He first awarded a penalty to Sevilla after Luis Ocampos had been brought down. However, after a VAR review, he rescinded the decision.
Minutes later, Roma thought they deserved a penalty of their own when Ivan Rakitic handled the ball, but Taylor stood his ground and waved the complaints away.
A total of 14 yellow cards were given in the tempered game, with Mourinho criticising Taylor in his post-match comments.
“Next year we won’t be playing theChampions League and that’s a good thing because we’re not made for it,’ he said.
Mourinho throws away his silver medal
At the same time, Sports Brief has reported that Mourinho threw his runners-up medal into the crowd seconds after receiving it on May 31.
It was the first time that Mourinho had lost a European final and the Portuguese manager was, as expected, not impressed about it.
Young fan who caught Mourinho’s medals
Bizarre scenes rocked the medal awarding ceremony when Mourinho broke ranks with his team and went for his medal alone.
Mourinho throws away medal
As soon as the medal was hung around his neck, ‘the Special One’ removed it and made a beeline for down the tunnel.
Ancelotti, who was unable to successfully defend his Champions League crown this year after Madrid withdrew from the tournament in the semifinals, has staked his prediction on Mourinho’s ability to inspire Roma to their second consecutive European championship.
After edging off Feyenoord to win the inaugural UEFA Conference League last season, the Eternal City team will be hoping to add the Europa League, a trophy Mourinho has won on two times, to their trophy cabinet, according to Mirror.
SEVILLE, SPAIN – MAY 05: Carlo Ancelotti, manager of Real Madrid attends the Press conference at Estadio de La Cartuja on May 05, 2023 in Seville, Spain. Real Madrid will face CA Osasuna in the Copa del Rey final on May 6, 2023. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
Assessing the chances of Jose and his charges, Ancelotti highlighted the transformation Sevilla have experienced under Spanish gaffer José Luis Mendilibar.
“After a difficult start, Sevilla were able to climb out of the relegation zone. Now they’re well organized,” the 63-year-old said as quoted by Roma Press.
He continued: “Roma have the opportunity to go for the win. In addition, the Giallorossi have a very experienced coach when it comes to finals and who will play his part on the touchline. Let’s hope Roma wins.”
Mourinho eyes Europa League success
Earlier, Sports Brief reported thatRoma manager Jose Mourinho has never lost a European final, while Sevilla are six from six in Europa League finals. Something has to give in Budapest on Wednesday.
Portugal’s Mourinho has five major continental titles to his name — two Champions League wins, two Europa League trophies and last year’s triumph in the inaugural Europa Conference League with the Italian side.
Mourinho kisses trophy
The 60-year-old announced himself on the big stage in 2003 when he led Porto to the UEFA Cup, the Europa League’s precursor, and the following year he won the Champions League.
Following Roma’s hard-fought victory against Bayer Leverkusen, Jose Mourinho praised his players, referring to them as “warriors.”
The Italian side entered the match with a one-goal lead, understanding that a draw would secure their spot in theUEFA Europa League final after Edoardo Bove’s debut European goal in the previous leg at Stadio Olimpico.
Mourinho adopted a cautious strategy for the game at Germany’s BayArena, effectively frustrating Leverkusen, who were managed by his former player Xabi Alonso, despite their dominance throughout the match.
Jose Mourinho
The manager’s admiration for his team’s resilient performance was evident as he described them as warriors.
According to Sports Illustrated, Giallorossi earned a place in the final against Sevilla, who are 100% in the Europa League finals, at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, on May 31.
Mourinho filmed Roma’s dinner
The team hosted a dinner at the team hotel shortly after the game. The 60-year-old filmed it and uploaded it on Instagram with an interesting caption.
“The warriors are eating, I’m too tired for that. See you tomorrow Roma,” he captioned the video.
One thing which can be made out of the video is that the television was showing a replay of the game they had just finished, which earned the players the game warrior from the manager.
Mourinho reveals next ambition
It would take a miracle forRoma to make the top four in the Italian Serie A. They are six points behind fourth-placed Lazio with two games to go in the season.
The team could play Champions League football next season if they beat Sevilla, which is Jose’s next target.
“The final? I think of it as any other final. We want to bring the trophy home,” he told DAZN via Roma Press.
Mourinho slammed for ugly tactics
The Special One is a master of dark tactics, famously dubbed Parking the Bus. As Sports Brief reported, fans slammed Mourinho for his tactics against Leverkusen.
His team were totally dominated. The Germans enjoyed 72% of the possession and played 23 shots to Roma’s one, which was off-target, but could not find a way through.
Arne Slot, the manager of Feyenoord, and Jose Mourinho were involved in a misunderstanding on April 20 after Mourinho’s AS Roma team eliminated Feyenoord from the Europa League.
As Mourinho seeks a second Europa League championship, Roma defeated the Netherlands team in extra time to go to the semifinals.
Paulo Dybala’s goal forced extra time, where the Giallorossi added two more goals to further humiliate Feyenoord, saving them from elimination with just two minutes remaining.
The two sides met in the final of the inaugural UEFA Conference League last year, where a Nicolo Zaniolo strike ensured Mourinho continued with his impeccable record in cup finals.
Feyenoord had hoped to exact their revenge over Roma this year, only for Mourinho to better them once again. Before the game, Slot had indicated that he prefers to watch Napoli or Manchester City games compared to Roma’s games.
The comment did not go down well with Mourinho, who is seen in video footage chasing down Slot in the tunnel, demanding to be respected.
“You look at Napoli and Manchester City, but you should be watching us!”
Mourinho will now meet one of his former players when they take on Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen in the semifinals. The winner of that tie will play the winner of Sevilla vs Juventus in the final.
Mourinho’s Roma emerged victorious on April 20 thanks to a comprehensive 4-1 victory, albeit via extra time.
It almost looked like Feyenoord had found a late winner in the 80th minute through Igor Paixao, but Paolo Dybala forced the game into extra time with a strike in the dying minutes of the game.
Following Saturday’s vital 1-0 victory for his Roma team at Torino, Jose Mourinho could not help but take a shot at Serie A rivals Juventus.
When Milan and Inter drew on Friday, Paulo Dybala’s eighth-minute penalty gave the Giallorossi all the points they needed to move into third place.
Juve’s 2-1 loss at Lazio left the Bianconeri with 44 points, nine fewer than Mourinho’s team, but the former Chelsea and Real Madrid manager is not sure that will still be the case.
The appeal Juve lodged against their 15-point penalty for transfer fee irregularities will be heard on April 19, meaning the top-four picture could eventually look very different.
Speaking after the win in Turin, Mourinho did not care about the quality of the performance, just the three points, before referencing Juve’s situation.
“Matches are won when you score one more goal than your opponent,” he told DAZN. “This is the goal not only in football but in sport: you have to win by trying to exploit your qualities and try to hide the problems.
“We are third in the standings? Are we sure that Juve don’t have 59 points? We are in Italy.”
Since 2004-05, Dybala (11 goals, six assists) is only the second player to score more than 10 goals and record more than five assists in a debut season for Roma in Serie A, after Mohamed Salah in 2015-16.
Roma have nine league games remaining as well as their upcoming Europa League quarter-final against Feyenoord, and Mourinho is hopeful of success on both fronts despite what he sees as squad limitations.
“The opponent that worries me the most in the Champions League fight? Ourselves, the fact that we want to think like a great team but we have a squad with limits,” he said.
“We have three games a week and it’s hard for us, but I’m not capable of thinking small. We go ahead from game to game.
“I’m not able to say that Udinese is less important than Feyenoord – let’s think game by game. Today we didn’t score a second goal, otherwise the game would have been completely different.”
When Jose Mourinho was dismissed for the third time this season during a Serie A match against Cremonese on February 28, it made headlines.
Mourinho frequently makes headlines, but this time he was enraged at fourth official Marco Serra, whom he charged with being biassed against AS Roma’s upcoming opponents.
Serra is a native of Turin, and Roma was to play Juventus right after. Mourinho was later given a two-game suspension, but he was still eligible for a match against Juventus.
With regard to Serra, The Special One had vowed to use the legal system.
Serra to officiate Serie B
In a new interesting development, Serra has now been demoted to Serie B, with the 40-year-old now set to officiate the upcoming match between Venezia and Como.
Romapress reports that it is unknown whether he will be officiating in the second tier henceforth or if it is just a temporary measure.
It is also unknown whether his clash with Mourinho had anything to do with his perceived demotion.
The Special One has never been shy to square up with referees and before the Cremonese red card, he had already been sent off in games against Atalanta and Torino.
Roma resume their push for Champions League football this weekend with a home game against Sampdoria.
Mourinho’s contract situation
Sports Brief previously reported that in his first season in charge, Mourinho won the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League with Roma, having finished seventh in Serie A the season before.
The Special One is approaching the final year of his deal in Rome and is still courting interest from top European clubs, including Chelsea and Real Madrid, as well as the Brazilian national team.
Mourinho has received limited backing from the Roma hierarchy in the transfer market, spending only €9 million despite winning a trophy and qualifying for Europa League in his first season.
Jose Mourinho, the head coach of Roma, would not describe their 2-0 victory over Real Sociedad in the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 match as a victory.
The Giallorossi earned the victory at home with to goals from substitute Marash Kumbulla and Stephan El Shaarawy, giving them a commanding lead going into the second leg in San Sebastian.
Mourinho was unsatisfied despite that and advised care because a quarterfinal spot was on the line.
“This 2-0 is only good if we don’t lose by three in the second leg,” Mourinho told Sky Sport Italia. “I will never say it’s a good result after the first leg.”
Mourinho acknowledged Roma have a complicated schedule around the second leg on Thursday 16 March, with a Derby della Capitale against Lazio three days later.
“Now we have a dangerous week,” the Portuguese said. “After the return with Real Sociedad we play against Lazio, even if for me playing with them is like playing with Milan or Juve, but in this city it is not like that.”
Roma actually had only 40 per cent possession against Sociedad, yet generated three shots on target compared to the Spanish side’s one.
Despite not declaring it a good result, Mourinho said his side controlled the game and deserved the win.
“I liked the organisation, the effort and the empathy on the pitch,” Mourinho said.
“We all helped each other. It’s hard to play against teams who field a midfield diamond. We faced it against Empoli and RB Salzburg, but it’s difficult.
“We needed a strong mentality because when you don’t have the ball for a long time, mentality is crucial. We controlled the match despite having less possession.”
“I liked the organisation, the effort and the empathy on the pitch,” Mourinho said.
“We all helped each other. It’s hard to play against teams who field a midfield diamond. We faced it against Empoli and RB Salzburg, but it’s difficult.
“We needed a strong mentality because when you don’t have the ball for a long time, mentality is crucial. We controlled the match despite having less possession.”
Jose Mourinho will miss two games due to his incident on the touchline after Tuesday’s 2-1 loss for Roma against Cremonese.
After a contentious altercation with the fourth official barely two minutes into the second half, the Roma head coach was dismissed for the third time this year.
Mourinho sat in the stands as Daniel Ciofani’s late penalty gave Cremonese their first league victory of the season and their first in Serie A in 26 years after Leonardo Spinazzola’s goal had nullified Frank Tsadjout’s opening goal for the hosts.
Mourinho will now be subject to a two-match suspension and a $10,000 fine as a result of his decision to continue arguing his point with the referees in their locker room following the conclusion of the game.
A statement from Serie A said that the Giallorossi boss will be banned for “having contested a refereeing decision in a forceful and provocative manner in the second minute of the second half and repeating this behaviour at the time of sending off.
“Furthermore, for entering the referees’ dressing room and addressing the fourth official with offensive expressions and inferences at the end of the match.”
After the game, Mourinho defended his actions that saw him sent off for an altercation with the fourth official.
“I’m emotional but not crazy. For the first time in my career a referee has spoken to me in an unjustifiable way,” he said.
“To have the reaction I had is because something happened. I need to know now if I can do something from a disciplinary point of view.”
The ban will see Mourinho miss Sunday’s clash with Juventus and Roma’s home game against Sassuolo on 12 March.
Roma sit fifth in Serie A after Wednesday’s defeat, one point behind rivals Lazio in fourth.
Following the Portuguese fourth official’s dismissal in Tuesday’s 2-1 Serie A loss for Roma at Cremonese, Jose Mourinho has threatened legal action against Marco Serra.
As Daniel Ciofani scored the game-winning penalty in the 83rd minute, Mourinho’s team missed the opportunity to climb up to second place in the league standings and returned home empty-handed.
The Roma manager was fired by referee Marco Piccinini just after halftime, his team trailing 1-0, after an altercation with Serra on the sidelines—not for the first time this season.
“I am emotional, but not crazy,” Mourinho told DAZN. “In order to react the way I did, something had to happen first. I need to understand if I can take any legal action.
“Piccinini gave me a red card, because unfortunately the fourth official does not have the capacity to understand what he said to me.
“I want to find out if there is an audio recording. I don’t want to get into the fact that Serra is from Turin and on Sunday we are playing against Juventus.
“For the first time in my career, a fourth official spoke to me in the most incredible way. It was unjustifiable.
“At the end of the game, I went to speak to them. Piccinini, who was the fourth official in the last game when I was sent off, told me to apologise to Serra.
“I told Serra he should have the courage to explain what happened, but he had memory problems.”
Mourinho lamented his side’s display with the race for the top four wide open ahead of the Giallorossi’s clash with Juventus on Sunday.
“We were a little unlucky, conceding two goals on their one and a half chances,” he said. “The responsibility is ours. We lacked intensity, should’ve killed off the game straight away.
“I am taking it one game at a time. I cannot leave this game behind now, I cannot even think about Sunday. There is frustration, which obliges me to analyse. It is a pity this thing happened with Serra: I respect someone as much as they respect me.”
Matias Vina has moved from Roma to Bournemouth on an initial loan agreement with a permanent transfer clause.
The Uruguayan left-back joined Roma in 2021 after leaving Palmeiras, and he has made 29 Serie A appearances.
Vina, however, was only given 54 league minutes by Jose Mourinho this season and has since left for Bournemouth, at least through the remainder of the season.
On Tuesday, the deadline for transfers, the 25-year-old is expected to be joined at his new team by defender Ilya Zabarnyi of Dynamo Kyiv and midfielder Hamed Traore of Sassuolo.
Another new addition 🤝
We're delighted to complete the signing of left-back Matías Viña on an initial six-month loan from Roma ✍️ pic.twitter.com/GPdBrUVdLc
Prior to Tuesday’s transfer deadline, Roma is working to find a solution to their Nicolo Zaniolo problem after learning that the winger was “not very happy” about the possibility of joining Bournemouth.
Early in the month, Tottenham and the Italy international were heavily linked. However, Antonio Conte later signed Arnaut Danjuma on loan from Villarreal to fill his demands in a wide offensive midfield.
Following that, Bournemouth took the lead. The Premier League’s third-from-bottom squad saw Zaniolo as a player who could help them in their first season back in the top division.
Despite reports that a deal worth an initial £26.3 million (€30 million) had been completed between Roma and Bournemouth, it seems Zaniolo is not entirely convinced on the notion of joining the English south-coast club.
Jose Mourinho, the head coach of Roma, has voiced extreme annoyance over Zaniolo’s refusal to leave when given the chance, saying it “sadly” appeared the 23-year-old would stay with the Giallorossi.
When asked about firm opportunities to sell Zaniolo, Roma general manager Tiago Pinto said on Sunday: “I have no problem answering this question, everyone understood what happened.
“Zaniolo asked to be sold, and together with the agent we found a solution. We succeeded, but now Nicolo is not very happy with the solution that has arrived, and obviously we are all in a bit of difficulty.”
Last season saw Zaniolo score the only goal of the inaugural Europa Conference League final, as Roma beat Feyenoord, yet his time at the Stadio Olimpico may be up.
peaking to DAZN, Pinto said Roma would not be able to buy a player to take Zaniolo’s place before sealing the sale of the former Inter youth-team player.
He, too, is frustrated by Zaniolo’s stalling on a transfer, with time at a premium.
“We found this solution following a request from the player and, as you know, with all the limits that we have with financial fair play we are not exactly a company that can yield to Zaniolo’s no and take on other players,” Pinto said.
“We are always bound by those limits. Now we have another 48 hours, let’s see what happens. I don’t want to dwell on this issue, it is really a difficult situation for us.”
Despite the Giallorossi’s 1-0 victory over Genoa on Thursday, Jose Mourinho, the head coach of Roma, has called the Coppa Italia “the worst cup in Europe.”
Paulo Dybala’s 64th-minute winner helped Mourinho’s team advance to the quarterfinals on Thursday, setting up a matchup with the victor of the Napoli-Cremonese round-of-16 match.
But in light of Torino’s shocking 1-0 victory over AC Milan in extra time on Wednesday, which advanced them to the round of eight where they will play Fiorentina on the road, the Portuguese star was critical of the Coppa Italia format.
“First of all, I’ll say I would love to win it, I won it once playing against Roma, I would love to win it playing with Roma in Rome,” Mourinho told Sportmediaset.
“I think it’s the worst cup in Europe, it doesn’t protect the smaller teams. It doesn’t put on a show.
“I’m talking about Torino for example who win on the pitch of the Italian champions Milan, then they have to play the next elimination game away from home, I don’t understand this structure of the Coppa Italia.
“We played against a Serie B team with a full stadium, if there are empty stadiums they must understand why we are full and the others are not.
“Last year we finished sixth, the year before we finished seventh and I want to invest in the Coppa Italia, but a lower team doesn’t want to play, what motivation do these people have?
“Torino won against the Italian champions, they made great history in the Round of 16 and they have to play away. Where is the beauty of the Coppa Italia? It would be nice to play on a Serie B or Serie C pitch, where is that? Because people accept it.
“The next elimination game will be either in Naples or at home with Cremonese, if we lose like last year, we’ll lose, but we’ll try to win. For a squad like ours, playing three competitions together is very hard.
“There’s too much build-up for people of more quality, it’s a big risk to play three or four players who don’t play all the time or to put so many kids together, I could have done Bove-Tahirovic but I didn’t.
“If we want to win the Coppa Italia I won’t say we want to, because everyone wants to, we will try to win the next game of the tournament.”
Roma, who have advanced to the Europa League knockout round playoffs, bowed out in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals last season to eventual winners Inter.
Until now, Napoli have pretty much risen to every challenge this season as they aim to win the Scudetto for the first time since 1990.
They sit top of the Serie A table after 10 games and are one of just two teams to not lose a game, with Luciano Spalletti’s men already beating Lazio and Milan away from home.
While their past three league games – wins over Torino, Cremonese and Bologna – would have always been expected to yield Napoli victories, a slightly trickier run begins this weekend.
Before the break for the World Cup, Napoli still have to face Rangers and Liverpool in the Champions League, plus high-flying Udinese, second-placed Atalanta, Sassuolo and, first up, Jose Mourinho’s in-form Roma in Serie A.
Sunday’s trip to the capital poses a real threat to a historic achievement that is…
… within touching distance
While Napoli’s Champions League exploits – hammering Liverpool, Rangers and Ajax, twice – have attracted plenty of praise, the true extent of their form doesn’t appear to have really registered outside of Italy yet.
However, they are undeniably on a remarkable run across all competitions.
Napoli have won each of their past 10 matches, meaning they are just one victory away from equalling the longest such run in the club’s history.
That 11-game winning streak was recorded between April and September 1986, the Diego Maradona era.
Although the run ended in September, that was still the season Napoli won their first Scudetto.
Kvaradona
Napoli may not have a player of Maradona’s ilk this time, though supporters have certainly taken to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
The Georgia winger only joined in pre-season, but his impact has been phenomenal.
Already he has been involved in 13 goals in 14 appearances in all competitions, which is more than any other Serie A player.
He heads into the weekend on a particularly effective run, too, having registered one assist in each of his past four games. The last Napoli player to have a better run (five games) was club great Lorenzo Insigne in early 2016.
The ‘Kvaradona’ nickname is seemingly here to stay.
Napoli’s versatile arsenal
As good as Kvaratskhelia has been for Napoli this term, it wouldn’t be fair to say they’re completely dependent on him.
In fact, the Partenopei have earned themselves a reputation for being adaptable and versatile.
For starters, they’ve had 15 different scorers in Serie A this season, which is the joint-most with Bayern Munich across the big five leagues.
And on top of that, Napoli’s 35 goals from set-pieces (including penalties) since the start of last season is more than any other Serie A team.
Omens on Napoli’s side?
Mourinho has Roma in good shape. They’re fourth in Serie A and go into the weekend having won each of their past three league games – they last managed four successive top-flight wins in August 2020.
But their recent record – for what it’s worth – against Napoli is pretty poor, having only won one of their previous eight Serie A meetings, a 2-1 victory in November 2019.
On top of that, Roma are winless in their past 12 home league games against teams in the top four at the beginning of the matchday, losing the three most recent examples.
A Roma win will put them just a point behind Napoli, however. Regardless of the latter’s fine start to the season, they won’t be expecting a straightforward contest.
Roma head coach Jose Mourinho mocked clubs qualifying for the Europa League knockout stages via the backdoor as ‘the failed sharks of the Champions League’.
Mourinho’s side are in a battle to reach the knockout stages via Group C after a 1-1 draw at Real Betis left them third on four points, behind the Spaniards (10) and Ludogorets (seven). Roma will still hope to overhaul Ludogorets and advance with two games to play in the group.
The draw, however, meant Betis were assured of reaching the next stage and Mourinho was asked if they were the Europa League favourites, leading him to implicitly goad teams like Barcelona and Juventus.
“I see them [Betis] as candidates, but the failed sharks of the Champions League will arrive, and they will come in hard,” Mourinho said, referring to sides who drop into the Europa League after finishing third in their Champions League groups.
“They shouldn’t come but it’s the reality. It’s going to be fun. The failures of the Champions League.”
Among the clubs currently third in Champions League groups are Barcelona, Juventus, Ajax, Atletico Madrid and Milan.
Should Roma fail to finish in the top two in Group C, they will qualify for the Conference League where they will defend the title they won under Mourinho last season.
The Portuguese added: “We want to go through and finish second, but if we finish third, we’ll become candidates to retain the Conference League.”
“We have two games left, two games we need to win – if we don’t win those then we are out. But that’s a good thing too, because we can focus on ourselves – we don’t have to worry about other results elsewhere.” #ASRoma#UEL#RealBetisRoma
Roma head coach Jose Mourinho says he is not thinking about breaking Sir Alex Ferguson’s mark for winning the most European competition games during the Champions League era.
Mourinho matched former Manchester United boss Ferguson with 106 victories in the Champions League and Europa League when he led Roma past HJK 2-1 in the Europa League last month.
Only Carlo Ancelotti has more victories (120), with the era dating back to the Champions League’s introduction in 1992.
Ferguson and Mourinho had a tense rivalry during the Scot’s latter days at Old Trafford, spawning from the Portuguese’s breakout stint at Porto before regularly locking horns during his first spell at Chelsea.
The Portuguese, who led the Italian club to Conference League glory last term, can surpass the former Manchester United manager when Roma take on Real Betis in the Europa League on Thursday.
“It’s not an extra motivation,” Mourinho told reporters. “I am proud of the 106, and when the 107th arrives, either tomorrow or next week, I don’t know, but when it comes it’ll be a proud moment in my career.
“I’ve always said that I’ll think about this kind of thing when I finish my career. When I finish my career I have so many things to think about and remember, but at this moment, no.
“Right now, the only thing that I am worried about is winning the next game, I’m always [thinking about] the next one and the next one is tomorrow.
“As I said before, it will certainly be difficult, it is a high-level game, very high. But there’s no such thing as winning one more game than Sir Alex.
“This is not [why I want to win]. I want to win because we need to.”
Mourinho has won 85 Champions League games and 21 Europa League games, compared to Ferguson’s 105 wins in Europe’s top club competition along with one UEFA Cup (Europa League) victory.
The former Inter, Real Madrid and Porto boss has two Champions League titles and two Europa League titles to his name, the latter with United. Ferguson, who retired in 2013, lifted the Champions League three times.
Ancelotti, who has won the Champions League four times, moved to 103 Champions League wins with Madrid’s 2-1 triumph over Shakhtar Donetsk, while he has 13 Europa League wins too.
Mourinho: “Dybala is okay, he’s in good shape and he will play tomorrow.
“It’s going to be a tough game for us – they won a trophy in Spain last year, and that’s never easy if you are not one of the three big clubs there.”#ASRoma#UEL#RomaBetis
