Page 26 - Soccer360 Issue 105

ROMA SPOTLIGHT
LEFT:
Jose Mourinho was dismissed after poor Serie A results and a series of outbursts
BOTTOM:
Romelu Lukaku of AS Roma looks on during the Serie A TIM match between Frosinone Calcio and AS Roma
“THE MOURINHO ERA WILL BE ALL
BUT FORGOTTEN
IF DE ROSSI
CAN LEAD HIS
BELOVED CLUB
BACK TO THE
PROMISED
LAND”
Romelu Lukaku received his first red card in European top leagues during a match against Fiorentina in December, after an impressive 388 games without dismissal.
and controversial, the Portuguese coach
led Roma to a first trophy in 14 years when the club from the Eternal City claimed the inaugural Europa Conference League in 2021-22. While it was jealously dismissed as a third-rate competition by rivals it marked
a rare success for a club that has frequently finished runners-up in Serie A over the last 20 years.
The Friedkin family appointed Mourinho in the summer of 2021 and backed him to the hilt by shelling out more than $100m on transfers.
Striker Tammy Abraham and goalkeeper
Rui Patricio were amongst a host of players recruited as the Roma tifosi embraced everything about their larger than life coach, who was still revered in Italy for his Serie
A and European supremacy as Inter boss between 2008 and 2010.
The Portuguese drove around the club’s Trigoria training ground on a Vespa scooter and tucked into pizza on a train journey after Roma thrashed Salernitana. Fans flocked
to Stadio Olimpico and eventually set a record of 40 straight sell-outs at the 70,000 capacity ground.
Yet the Giallorossi were never in title contention and slumped to a disappointing sixth placed finish as Mourinho frequently lost his temper on the sidelines. He was sent off in a home stalemate with Napoli after protesting against officials and handed a two-match touchline ban after being sent
to the stands and kicking the ball into the crowd after a draw at Hellas Verona.
A stunning 6-1 Europa Conference League group stage reversal away to unfancied Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt triggered Mourinho into declaring his squad had real limitations with only 13 players capable of
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