Jose Mourinho admits he too was moved to tears by youth product Niccolò Pisilli’s debut goal, while ‘it is our own fault’ Roma are in the Europa League play-offs.
The Giallorossi knew it was going to be an extremely tough task to top the group after their defeat to Slavia Prague and draw away to Servette.
It became evident by the half-hour mark that it wasn’t going to happen, as Slavia Prague were already 3-0 up against Servette and eventually won 4-0.
“It is our own fault that we are second, because we played one horrible performance in Prague and that is what ruined it,” Mourinho told Sky Sport Italia.
“We won our home games, had two decent away performances, but we cannot play the way we did with Slavia. The punishment for that is we have to play an extra two games, for a squad that ought to play less than it already does.”
That 2-0 defeat meant they had an identical head-to-head record with Slavia Prague and so even finishing level on points would not favour them.
Nonetheless, they got their result beating Sheriff Tiraspol 3-0 with Romelu Lukaku, Andrea Belotti and the first goal from youth team player Pisilli, who promptly burst into tears.
“I gave lots of debuts in many other clubs, but at Roma many of them are kids who grew up here, who went to the stadium with their fathers, grandfathers, and when they get a chance to play for the senior squad, it is so emotional.
“It is his first goal in the Stadio Olimpico, in the Europa League, in the net below where he used to sit in the stands. Such joy. I had to run off, or I would burst into tears too!”
Roma are in the play-offs, so in February will face one of the teams who drop down from the Champions League.
The options include Benfica, Braga, Feyenoord, Galatasaray, Lens, Young Boys and Shakhtar Donetsk.
“We are second, but those who drop down from the Champions League will not be pleased if they have to play against us either,” added Mourinho.
“Benfica reached the Champions League quarter-finals last season and do not hide their frustration at going into the Europa League.
“I hope we don’t end up getting the same kind of path we had last season, when we had to beat Red Bull Salzburg, Real Sociedad, Bayer Leverkusen, that seems like the Far West chaos for a tournament.”
Tiago Pinto said before the game that Roma will try to sign a new defender in January to fill in for injured Chris Smalling, Marash Kumbulla and with Evan Ndicka heading to the Africa Cup of Nations.
“I expect the kind of player it is possible for us to sign. It is easy for others, but difficult for us,” replied Mourinho when asked what he expected.
“We cannot sign a fantastic player in a top squad in the best condition, because we have these Financial Fair Play parameters. We need more respect from those who say things that are not true.”
Roma are in the running for the Europa League and also a top four finish in Serie A, so can they do both?
“With everyone in the squad at 100 per cent, we fear nobody. Unfortunately, we have and will always have problems, but we keep going anyway.
“I have decided not to cry about it and to instead just go for it with what I have at that specific moment. Now we are up against Bologna without Dybala and Lukaku, but we’ll give it our all.”
Lukaku is suspended in Serie A following his red card against Fiorentina, while Paulo Dybala is injured.