After sustaining a fresh injury in Roma’s eventual 2-0 win over Real Sociedad on Wednesday evening, the story of Diego Llorente’s season has gone from bad to worse.
The Spaniard only made 13 appearances in the first half of the season under Jesse Marsch while at Leeds, deciding to make the switch to Rome in January in search of a fresh opportunity.
In an interview with Leeds Live, Llorente said that one of the main contributing factors behind the move was his desire to “step outside his comfort zone” after a “strange” few seasons at Elland Road.
Mourinho and Roma offered the 29-year-old a lifeline in January, taking Llorente on loan with the option to buy in the summer transfer window.
Since then, Llorente has not managed to start for the Giallorossi in Serie A and has only featured for one singular minute in his cameo appearance from the bench.
Mourinho handed a first start to the former Real Madrid youth product when Roma lined up against Real Sociedad in the Europa League Round of 16 tie at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday evening.
Starting Llorente against Real Sociedad was a decision that was slightly forced rather than one that was made on merit, given the suspension of Roger Ibanez and the recent drop of form from Marash Kumbulla.
Llorente just about made it to half-time before asking to be taken off due to a problem he was struggling with in his left abductor.
Kumbulla, his half-time replacement, might well have played his way back into Mourinho’s plans after his 87th-minute bullet header to make it 2-0 to Roma on the night.
It has since been confirmed that Llorente is a doubt for the Giallorossi’s games against Sassuolo as a result of the slight injury he picked up in the Europa League.
If the first half of the season in Leeds was frustrating, things somehow have managed to get even worse for Llorente in Rome.
Only 46 minutes played since January so far and now fighting for a place in the starting lineup at the Olimpico looks like an even bigger task than it was at the start of the week.
Llorente will need to put in some monumental performances when, or rather if he is given the opportunity if he is to convince his temporary employers to make his stay in Rome permanent.