José Mourinho has opened up about his emotional connection with Roma, his relationship with the club’s supporters and the events that preceded his departure from the Italian capital.
The Real Madrid coach will soon return to the Stadio Olimpico for the first time as an opponent when his side face Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma in the Champions League.
Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, Mourinho said he expects respect from the Giallorossi supporters, although he is not anticipating any special banners or tributes.
Mourinho Prepares for Emotional Olimpico Return
“Banners for me at the stadium? I do not expect them. I only expect respect,” Mourinho said.
“I have not prepared that match yet, either as Real Madrid coach or as Roma’s former coach. I have to do my job well.
“It is the first time I will face Roma as their former coach. When I make the journey into the stadium, I will have to prepare myself to do it without the supporters’ passion behind me. I must also prepare my players for the beauty of the stadium.”
Mourinho built an intense relationship with Roma’s supporters during his time at the club, leading the Giallorossi to the Europa Conference League title in 2022 and the Europa League final one year later.
Mourinho: “After Budapest, I Was Already Out”
The Portuguese coach believes the 2023 Europa League final in Budapest represented both the highest point of his connection with the supporters and the beginning of the end of his Roma tenure.
“After the final in Budapest, we reached the highest point of this connection with the supporters,” Mourinho explained. “Then the final ended, we went on holiday and, when I returned, I was already dead.
“UEFA made me pay for something that was not my responsibility because what happened at the airport was not my fault. I could have paid for my protests against the referee in the stadium garage, but not for that.
“I also paid for my relationship with the owners, who had a different approach from mine regarding what happened in that final. From that moment, I was already out.”
Roma lost the final to Sevilla on penalties following a controversial performance from referee Anthony Taylor. Mourinho subsequently confronted the English official in the stadium’s underground car park and received a four-match suspension from UEFA.
“For Me, Only Roma and the Romanisti Existed”
Mourinho also recalled the extraordinary reception he received when he first arrived in Rome in 2021—and how that moment shaped his relationship with the city.
“When I arrived, there were so many people waiting for me at the airport on the first day, even though I had not yet done anything for them,” he said. “It had a very powerful impact on me. I did not deserve that welcome, but that is Roma.
“The special connection that developed was because of them. They understood that I was never concerned about my image, my relationship with the owners, the journalists or sporting politics.
“For me, only Roma, the Romanisti and fighting for them existed. I gave everything.”
Mourinho acknowledged that winning the Conference League may carry less prestige for clubs accustomed to collecting major European trophies. For Roma, however, he understood the historic importance of ending a long wait for continental success.
“We won a competition that has less importance for those accustomed to winning frequently, but it has immense meaning for a club that wins less often,” he added.
“They understood that, despite my mistakes, I gave everything for Roma because, for them, Roma comes before everything else.”
Mourinho: “Roma Will Forever Be My Home”
Despite the difficult ending to his tenure, Mourinho insisted that he will never publicly attack the club or the Friedkin ownership.
“There does not exist—and there never will exist—a word from me against Roma or its owners,” Mourinho concluded. “When I leave, I leave cleanly and with a feeling that Roma will forever be my home.”
His Champions League return to the Olimpico will therefore be about far more than the result. Mourinho will arrive as Real Madrid’s coach and Roma’s opponent, but also as a figure whose relationship with the club and its supporters remains deeply personal.
Source: Corriere dello Sport
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