Jose Mourinho explains the tactical approach Roma took to Slavia Prague and reveals the positives and negatives of having such a limited squad ahead of the Inter clash. ‘This is a new experience in my career.’
The Giallorossi knew this was a crucial result, as it was a head-to-head for the top of the Europa League group, which would mean avoiding the February play-offs against a side that drops down from the Champions League.
Slavia Prague had not conceded yet in the Europa League this season, but went behind within 43 seconds to an Edoardo Bove screamer, followed 16 minutes later by Romelu Lukaku blasting into the roof of the net.
Although he watched from the stands due to that on-going UEFA touchline ban, Mourinho still went to give the post-match interview to Sky Sport Italia.
“It doesn’t happen often to score in the first minute, but it came from a very good press, El Shaarawy found Edoardo and he has a great shot. It was important for us, as it put the game on the right track straight away and made it a different proposition than it might’ve been.
“We understood Slavia Prague are a strong team on the ball. If you give them time and space to pass it around, they cause you problems. We thought that pressing them was both a way of stopping them from gaining momentum, but also to create our chances on the counter-attack.
“The energy and intensity levels dropped in the second half. There are some players who have been out for a long time and that means the others have to play all the time. If you look at guys like Mancini, Cristante, Ndicka, Lukaku, they play practically every minute and inevitably the intensity level drops.
“Slavia had more of the ball in the second half, but they always seemed under control.”
El Shaarawy had another excellent performance, this time acting as a support striker to Lukaku, providing two assists and hitting the crossbar with a curler.
“El Shaarawy can play anywhere. He is a very useful player for us, he can play as a wing-back, a winger, a second striker, and that is very important for us in a squad that has many limitations and players who are our injured. Slavia expected us to use Belotti and Lukaku together too, but their wing-back on the right opens up wide, so we thought it was better to have El Shaarawy against him,” explained Mourinho.
“He was also about to score another beautiful goal, if not for the crossbar. I took him off because it is a luxury for any Roma player to have time to rest nowadays.”
With Paulo Dybala out injured, could El Shaarawy and Lukaku work together against Inter on Sunday?
“We have used different approaches. Slavia Prague play with three at the back, so I thought it would be tougher for Andrea Belotti to adapt to that. Not having a real right-sided winger, we moved Houssem Aouar there and asked him to press. When we have the energy, we try to be proactive and positive.”
Mourinho tried to warn once again that Roma and Inter are at completely different levels when it comes to the options at their disposal.
“For Sunday, unfortunately these are two completely different squads. Inter have two squads in one, they got to rest and rotate players, they have two for every position, so have a great deal of energy and intensity.
“I was up there, looked down and the five players who were warming up were all kids from the youth academy. This is tough and something of a new experience in my career. But then when I got down there, I felt someone hug me and it was Luigi Cherubini. I am sure there will be celebrations in the San Basilio quarter tonight, as their local boy made his debut for Roma.”
It was Roma’s fifth consecutive victory in all competition and gears them up for this Sunday’s Serie A showdown with Inter at San Siro.
However, Inter fans have already pledged to hand out 30,000 whistles to make a deafening noise every time Lukaku touches the ball. How will Mourinho prepare the Belgian for this experience?
“Nothing. He just needs to rest. That is all. It is a big game against a super team, it motivates some people, but all we need to do is rest. I thought for a moment at the end that Bryan Cristante had hurt himself, I was distraught. I have to imagine my colleague Simone Inzaghi doesn’t have that reaction when he sees one of his players get injured. Unfortunately, for us any tiny problem is a disaster.”