Jose Mourinho slipped back into old habits with a monologue rant at his post-match press conference following AS Roma’s loss to Internazionale on matchday 16 of the 2021/22 Serie A season.
Inter travelled to Rome and demolished Mourinho’s side in the first half, whose squad went into the game with a lot key of absences due to injuries, suspension and Coronavirus.
Inter completed their rout of Roma in the first 39 minutes of the game, with goals from Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Edin Džeko who was making his return to Roma after his move to Inter in the summer, and Denzel Dumfries.
Mourinho, who led Inter to a treble in 2010, had never lost a home game in Serie until this season; his second stint in the league. Now, he has lost twice, with this 3-0 hammering from his former club being his second defeat at the Stadio Olimpico for the Giallorossi.
The Special One has not had it easy since assuming the role of AS Roma head coach in the summer following his sacking as Tottenham Hotspur manager the season before.
Mourinho has a reputation for being a bad loser and he slipped back into old habits at the press conference following the game. The 58-year-old Portuguese manager refused to take questions from the DAZN studio or pundits but gave a monologue to the camera.
Inter are stronger than Roma, Mourinho rants
Jose Mourinho told journalists plainly that Inter ‘are stronger than Roma in normal conditions, while also stating that ‘in non-normal conditions, they [Inter] are much stronger.’
This was Mourinho’s first meeting with his former club since winning the treble in 2010 and he did it without Tammy Abraham and Rick Karsdorp who were suspended; Stephan El Shaarawy, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Leonardo Spinazzola who were injured, and Ghanaian youngster Felix Afena-Gyan who was out with COVID-19.
It was also his seventh loss of the season following losses to Hellas Verona, Lazio, Juventus, AC Milan, Venezia and Bologna.
A journalist began by asking Mourinho a question to which former Chelsea manager replied: “Your job is a lot easier than ours which is why we earn a lot more than you.” Mourinho then went on to shut down every question with his monologue rant.
“I apologise to the studio, to the people at home who might be interested in their questions,” the Roma boss manager began.
“Inter are stronger than us in normal conditions. In non-normal conditions, they are much stronger than us. Last season, they were 29 points ahead of Roma. Today, with injuries and suspended players, it was very, very difficult.
“Our attacking potential was practically nil. It was very important to score a goal because we would only have two or three chances. We had three and didn’t score.
“When you play with a defence that has Ibanez and various others in positions that are not their usual ones, you still cannot concede the first and third goals. You just can’t.
“The referee did well, he didn’t influence the result at all, he just should’ve booked Cristante too. We are the most undisciplined side in Serie A, we’ve got more cards than anyone.”
This is not the first time Mourinho has thrown a team he manages under the boss, but the first time he’s done it at Roma who now have a clue how irate their boss can be when things don’t go his way. He went on to congratulate Inter for the win and wish them well for their Champions League game during the week.
“Congratulations to Inter, obviously I wish them good luck for Tuesday,” Mourinho added.
Inter will go head-to-head with Real Madrid for the top Champions League spot in their group on Tuesday.
