Italy: Mourinho at Roma, electricity after love at first sight

Mourinho passion remains strong at Roma but the Portuguese coach’s strategy of permanent tension, suspended for the capital derby against Lazio on Sunday in the Italian league, also raises some questions. José Mourinho will not be on the bench at the Stadio olimpico: he will serve his second game of suspension after being sent off at Cremonese (2-1) on February 28 for vehement protests. He will miss a decisive meeting for his Giallorossi, 5th two points behind Biancocelesti (3rd), in the battle for the Champions League. Unhappy with his suspension, “Mou” repeated his famous gesture of ” handcuffs”, which he made famous during a match in February 2010, while coaching Inter Milan, to castigate refereeing decisions. Even if, this time, he also took the opportunity to promote a watch and a bracelet. Already absent on Sunday against Sassuolo (4-3 defeat), he received the support of Roman fans with many banners and waving white handkerchiefs in the Olimpico. Welcomed as a rockstar on his arrival in the Eternal City in the summer of 2021, the 60-year-old coach remains the idol of the tifosi romanisti and his name is shouted at the top of his lungs at each match. – Already three reds – The victory in the Europa League Conference last season, Roma’s first title for 14 years, has helped to maintain this passion, despite the regular “days without” of the Wolf in the league. But the sparks are more and more frequent, often fueled by the person concerned. True to form, the former Real Madrid, Manchester United or Chelsea coach takes care to maintain permanent tension, in a proven tactic of uniting his players around him. Tension with the referees, of course, a recipe for which he however tends to abuse with already three reds this season, synonymous with five missed matches on suspension. “We need more respect, today it seems that we had no right to play to win”, he had proclaimed last season, in one of his frequent outings towards the referees. coach. Mourinho, usually very protective of his group, also attacked certain players this season. In November, after a draw, he notably accused Rick Karsdorp of having “betrayed the efforts of everyone else”. The Dutch side then disappeared from the group until February, finally reinstated because he had not found a club in the winter transfer window. – Quoted for Portugal – The last weeks of cohabitation with Nicolo Zaniolo also went badly: the Italian international had been dismissed before finally leaving in early February for Galatasaray. The new target of the Portuguese coach was, in February, the public of the Olimpico, a stadium which is however full with each meeting (65,000 spectators approximately). against Hellas Verona (1-0), “Mou” felt that “people do not give enough credit to those who deserve it for the work we are doing, in difficult conditions”. These frequent warning shots are beginning to raise questions about the desires of Mourinho, under contract until 2024. “I could leave in December and I stayed”, he dropped in early February to ensure that his intention does not was not to leave earlier, although his name has often been mentioned for the post of Portugal coach. But a few weeks later, he refused to be more specific about his situation at Roma: “I will talk at the end , I have a lot to say.”