Roma –
AS Roma stepped convincingly into the semifinals Europa League this season is over Feyenoord with an aggregate of 4-2. Experience Jose Mourinho was an important factor in the Giallorossi’s success.
Mourinho has won five European club titles in his career, namely two Champions League trophies, two Europa League trophies, and most recently won the Europa Conference League with Roma last season.
The above record proves his class in facing crucial matches in the blue continent club event. He knows the best approach to take, such as when hosting Feyenoord in the second leg of the Europa League quarter-finals, Friday (21/4) early morning Western Indonesian Time.
Despite having to catch a 0-1 deficit in the first leg, Mourinho did not rush to appear at full strength from the start. He saved Paulo Dybala and Tammy Abraham because he suspected that the match against Feyenoord would be tough and go into extra rounds.
A definite decision as Roma won 4-1, with Dybala scoring one goal and Tammy getting involved in the third and fourth goals. Both of them only entered in the second half of the second half and have a fresher physical condition to hit the opponent’s defense.
“Now you know why my hair is completely gray! Other coaches have gone bald, I have gray hair. That’s because I’ve had a lot of strange matches in European competition, I’ve seen everything,” Mourinho told Sky Sport Italia.
Jose Mourinho keeps turning up!! 🔥
Roma’s #UEL semi-final vs Bayer Leverkusen will be the 12th European semifinal of the Portuguese manager’s career!! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/5IRNFVceyb
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 20, 2023
“I told the players yesterday, this match will be different to the time against RB Salzburg or Bodo/Glimt. This is not a game we can finish quickly. I said if we can be 1-0 up in the 90th minute, that’s great, The important thing is to stay focused.”
“Losing Wijnaldum (in the first round) has been a big problem for me. When I put Dybala in, I also have to put in two other players at once, otherwise we have no guaranteed slots left if Dybala is also injured.”
“We managed to survive into extra-half, and that gave us additional substitutions. I am the coach, but it is the players who fight on the pitch and make sacrifices. They deserve credit,” explained Mourinho.
Next Roma will face Bayer Leverkusen in the semifinals, who are coached by Xabi Alonso, Mourinho’s former protege at Real Madrid.
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