Jose Mourinho said for the first time he wants to ‘continue at Roma’ and if he does leave it would ‘never be my own choice,’ but warns the club must change approach after the Renato Sanches issue.
This was a head-to-head for fourth place and the Giallorossi were missing numerous big names, including Romelu Lukaku, Paulo Dybala, Nicola Zalewski, Chris Smalling and Houssem Aouar.
They were also strained by Thursday’s Europa League commitments with Sheriff Tiraspol, but seemed sluggish until they were already 2-0 down to Nikola Moro’s well-worked team move and a Rasmus Kristensen own goal.
The most controversial moment of the match came when Mourinho introduced Renato Sanches as a half-time substitute and then promptly took him off again just 18 minutes later.
“I want to publicly apologise to Renato, because what I felt that I had to do was very harsh, but it is harsher even on a coach. I think in 3-4 times in my career I have done this and I apologise,” Mourinho told DAZN.
“Without Paulo, there is no quality in this squad. Without Romelu, there is no physicality in this squad. Without either of them, I knew it would be tough for us.
“I could tell obviously the players wanted to do better, but if we had no tactical problems – when they scored the first goal, it was a very balanced match – we did have huge difficulties on a physical level. Bologna have players with intensity, engine and legs, whereas we do not have those characteristics.
“As an example, Kristiansen has limitations technically, but he has physicality. After that, the game became more complicated.
“We had our chances to get a goal for 1-1 or 2-1, we didn’t convert them, and it became difficult.”
Mourinho seemed to be in a mood to shake off the usual bravado and media gamesmanship that he loves so much in post-match interviews.
“Gianluca Mancini is really struggling a lot. He is playing with this lumbago, he plays because he wants to help and the team needs him. Other players have their limitations in technical or physical terms. If you compare them to the engine of players like Moro, Ferguson and Ndoye, it’s tough for ours.
“Of course the team is struggling physically.”
The Special One then spilled the beans on his contract talks with the Friedkin family, as his contract will expire at the end of this season.
“I will tell you something I have not yet said, because I did not want to say it. I want to continue at Roma. I want to continue here. If I continue at Roma, we need to really think about what we can do with the FFP limitations.
“Perhaps it is better to work with young players and develop for the future rather than with some players who have nothing more to develop. I want to continue and we perhaps ought to think about it in a different way.
“I know the dimensions of this team, when everyone is available, we have sufficient quality to fight it out. We didn’t finish fourth last season because we reached a European Final and were too stretched out. Without fundamental players, obviously it is difficult.”
Does the club see this the same way?
“We have not talked about it. You are the first person I have said this to. When the fans see their team play the way we did today, there is not much to love. How many kilometres did they travel to see this team, to cheer us on for 92 minutes?
“They are special and it would be difficult to split from these fans. If I was to separate from them, it would never be my own choice. Never.”
Thiago Motta has done extraordinary things with Bologna, who are now alone in fourth place.
“He will always be my kid. Always. Of course he deserves congratulations.”
Considering the complaints over referees in recent weeks, did Mourinho have an issue with the lack of a second Sam Beukema booking?
“It seemed like a second yellow from where I was sitting, Thiago Motta then took him off. Maybe I’m wrong, I don’t know. I don’t want to criticise Guida.”
Roma now slide from fourth place down to seventh and it could be eighth if Atalanta beat Salernitana on Monday evening.