Jose Mourinho claims Napoli ‘did not deserve’ their victory over Roma and criticised the referee for having ‘an off day,’ calling Hirving Lozano ‘that one who is always diving.’
The game had been heading towards a goalless draw until a moment of magic from Victor Osimhen broke the deadlock.
The Nigeria international, making his first start for six weeks, thumped in from a seemingly impossible angle after blazing past Chris Smalling.
“The performance was sufficient to not lose the game. I wanted to win, but in the same way they won, which was a few attempts on goal and one in to win it,” Mourinho told DAZN.
“It was a difficult match, well controlled, after many yellow cards we struggled and they scored with one of the only dangerous situations they created in the second half. If not for the yellow, Cristante would’ve been able to make a foul early and block that counter.
“The players were also tired, I didn’t have the replacements on the bench to maintain the same level of performance. I also had to start Rick Karsdorp, who was not fit for 90 minutes, because Nicola Zalewski was meant to start and he fell ill.
“Leonardo Spinazzola was struggling for 90 minutes too. The Professor (Lorenzo Pellegrini) felt a twinge in his flexor and asked to be substituted, I kept him on as long as I could. Nemanja Matic was injured too, so we felt the problems pile up after 70 minutes.
“I feel a sense of injustice and embrace my players, because they did everything possible and I think they did enough to avoid defeat. We knew whoever got a goal would win, and it was Napoli.”
Roma did not have a single shot on target in the first half and barely ever tested Alex Meret, only realistically on a pull-back from the by-line that was more of a cross than a shot.
“We had the situations too when Zaniolo just had to take a defender on. We had situations where we needed real talent to transform it into a goal and we didn’t manage it tonight.
“Napoli are a team of real quality, but when I saw so many yellow cards, so many of my players tired and not fully fit, so few options off the bench…” continued Mourinho.
“I don’t want to talk about the referee, I think he is a good, balanced man. There were moments during the game I did not like, but I told Irrati after the match, he’s someone you can talk to. So there’s no need to add more.”
Mourinho has repeatedly complained this season about the lack of options for squad rotation, feeling Roma have no strength in depth and very limited resources, but also aimed a pointed insult at Mexico international Chucky Lozano.
“We lowered the pressure in the second half because we were exhausted. Leonardo Spinazzola was meant to counter that guy, the one who is always diving. What’s his name? The one always throwing himself to the ground… Lozano! That’s it.
“We fell back, Napoli had more of the ball and that is when they took more control after 65-70 minutes. It was pure fatigue. Otherwise, we controlled them really well, played good considering our potential and the squad at our disposal, which had four kids from the youth team on the bench.
“A squad like ours, one injury is a problem, so three or four is a huge problem. I don’t like defeat, but I go home tonight with a positive feeling about my lads.”
Despite all of that, Roma have really struggled to score goals this season and Tammy Abraham is in very poor form.
“We need to be more decisive in the final third, because scoring opportunities and shots on target get into the statistics, but the way I view it is more like an opportunity. If Osimhen had put the shot into the stands, it would not be a statistic.
“It does disappoint me sometimes to see the sheer strain on my players, who are exhausted against a fresh opponent, and I worry. This week there was no midweek game, but in general we are stretched very thin.
“I congratulate Napoli, even though I feel they won without deserving it, while I congratulate my team for losing without deserving it.
“I think Irrati is a good man, a good referee, he did not have a good game tonight, but that happens in life, we all have off days.”