Jose Mourinho is prepared for a tough Conference League semi-final against Leicester City, underlining the importance of the home support.
The first leg between the Giallorossi and the Foxes finished 1-1 at the King Power Stadium last week, setting up an exciting and tense second leg at the Stadio Olimpico. Mourinho’s side have generated good home support this campaign and he’ll be relying on the fans to give his squad a boost again in tomorrow’s match.
Speaking in a press conference, Mourinho first discussed how Leicester City are better rested for the match and what impact that has.
“I hope none really. But your analysis is obvious, I’ve been on the other side before: when you don’t have any chance of achieving your goals in the league, the focus is on the European competition.
“It’s not their European competition – for them it’s the Europa League – it’s a way to get to a European competition next season. It is logical that they can rest the players, we cannot do that.
“We have a chance to reach a European competition in the league. Tomorrow I hope that the emotional aspect can put my players in a very high state of mind, which can help the team win the game.”
He touched on how he plans to replace the absent Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
“We don’t have another one like him. There are top teams where you have similar players in every position, these teams can have the perfect rotation. We don’t have another player like Mkhitaryan, we don’t have the possibility to do the same with other players.
“We can do it differently, the goal doesn’t change: we want to go to the final, leave everything we have. Tomorrow will be 14 conference games. We are here as a team, there is no Mkhitaryan but there are others. As a team we are going there tomorrow to fight.”
The Portuguese coach gave his thoughts on Brendan Rogers’ Leicester City.
“What Leicester are doing is fantastic, after winning the Premier. League the way the club has grown at every level is fantastic. Congratulations to everyone. Rodgers doesn’t surprise me, people forget what he did at Liverpool with far fewer resources that Liverpool have now.
“People don’t focus on the Scottish league, he’s been fantastic there too. Leicester and Rodgers very very good…I hope tomorrow goes well for us and not for them.”
Mourinho touched on the emotional impact of a full Stadio Olimpico and how it affects the players.
“There is no doubt about the empathy created between us as a team and the fans. We’ve been competing together for more or less 10 months, with good and bad moments, to remember and to forget, we’ve always been together.
“Now we’re at a time when the last two games of the season are being played at the Olimpico: against Leicester and Venezia. It would be nice to celebrate this link, which has been created and remains beyond the results.
“We all deserve to finish these two games well at the Olimpico. We’re playing for us, but a lot for the fans: I’d like the fans to play the game with us tomorrow. You can be at the stadium as a spectator and you can be there to play the game.
“If we have 70,000 fans it means nothing, if they want to play it’s different. That’s what we’re asking people: don’t come to watch the game, come to the stadium to play.”
He understood the importance of the Conference League for Leicester City.
“To be honest winning at Leicester means more than winning titles at Chelsea, at Man United. All jokes aside, he certainly wants to win. Especially because it’s the only way to get to a European competition next year. The only way to do that is to win the Conference League.”
The former Chelsea coach spoke about his ambitions ahead of the semi-final.
“It’s the same in every game. I always want to win the next game and the next one is a semi-final even more. Because it gives you the right to play a final.
“It’s not just the next match, but a special match. Our run has been in the Conference League, and it’s been really difficult, there are 14 games and we have a chance to go to the final, we have to play at our highest level to deserve the final.”
Mourinho revealed how much fun he’s having at Roma this season.
“I’m having a lot of fun, I’m happy every day at the training ground and I can’t deny that. Do I want more? Yes. Do I want us to think bigger next season? Yes. But I know the project, I try to give everything I have and I love working with the people here.
“I think we deserve to finish the season with something to celebrate, a trophy would be fantastic. To finish in a position where we can play in Europe is also positive. Tomorrow is another big step, I don’t forget and I don’t deny that we are playing against a good team but so are we.”
He touched on what kind of tactical battle he expects in tomorrow’s game.
“It’s always difficult to say what the game will be like. Sometimes you want a game and a different one comes out. I would like a game like Leicester, where Rui Patricio made one save in 90 minutes.
“It would mean that there won’t be any big problems and that would be important for us. The fans can help if they want to play, but the players must have maturity and intelligence to handle it in a less emotional and more rational way. This is important for us.”
Finally, Mourinho discussed how the club’s owners are approaching the semi-final.
“We haven’t exchanged any ideas. I think the president and his sons already know me a little bit, they know that before the game my life is me, the assistants and my players. I don’t like sharing, I don’t like the press conference but I’m obliged.
“I know them too, it’s easy to understand that beyond being in love with the club and the people, they are in love with football. And the nature of football is to arrive at important moments.
“I see their respect for our privacy as a team and concentration, but I understand that there is this difference in approach. I’m super happy to have a semi-final at home with a full stadium, with the fans, it’s a moment of joy and expectation. If our people want to play, it can make the difference.”
#Mourinho: '#Leicester più riposato della #ASRoma ma voglio la finale. L'anno prossimo vorrei pensare più in grande' https://t.co/d3IguglDoG pic.twitter.com/6WfreGKbmw
— calciomercato.com (@cmdotcom) May 4, 2022