Five European finals; five wins. Jose Mourinho knows how to win trophies, especially in Europe. The Europa League final was billed as the clash of titans.
Sevilla, a side that has never lost a Europa League final, versus Roma, a side managed by one of the greatest European managers of all time. Yet, Sevilla showed their expertise once again, as Gonzalo Montiel sent the travelling fans into rapture with his winning penalty.
Mourinho preemptively picked his medal up, before throwing it into the crowd. The Portuguese manager rarely loses in finals; this was a new experience for him.
“You can lose a game, but never your professionalism. I won five finals and lost this one, but I’ve never been more proud than I am tonight. The guys gave it all,” Mourinho said speaking to Sky Sports.
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History fails to repeat for Roma
Porto, Inter Milan, and even Roma last season have experienced Mourinho’s finest tactics in a European final - they worked then, but last night was a different story.
Roma took the lead halfway through the first half through Paulo Dybala. The Argentinian latched onto a perfect through-ball from Gianluca Mancini, before slotting a perfect finish past Yassine Bounou. Dybala's fitness had been questioned in the build-up to the match, but Mourinho's decision to start the playmaker paid off early on.
Over half of the Puskas Arena erupted with noise. Flares and smoke bombs encapsulated the feeling in the fanbase. They thought they were going to win.
But just like the recurring theme with Mourinho's sides, they failed to control a 1-0 lead. Sevilla controlled possession and eventually got a fortune of luck through Mancini’s own goal. The course of the match changed and it seemed almost destined for Sevilla to be victorious once again.
“Tonight we died of mental and physical fatigue, there are so many episodes to talk about. Without the trophy in our hands, we are dead tired and proud,” Mourinho said post-match.
“The truth is that we are all very sad, with or without crying the truth is this. We will get home dead of tiredness and dead because of tonight’s unfair refereeing display. Great game, a great final, intense, gritty, and vibrant, but the referee seemed Spanish. Too many yellow cards for us then he doesn’t give Lamela his second yellow allowing him to take a penalty in the end,” he added.
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What next?
Mourinho’s future continues to be speculated across Europe. With several of the finest jobs currently available, it seems likely Mourinho will be considered. But after the failure to win the Europa League, some may have second thoughts.
Roma have stuttered to sixth in the Serie A this season. They could finish fifth, but they could also finish as low as seventh. Dybala, Tammy Abraham, and Andrea Belotti have all been added to Mourinho’s frontline. Yet his insistence on defensive, stop-start football may not be utilising the best out of them.
“My future? I’m serious, I said a few months ago that if I had contact with any other club I would say it to the ownership, I wouldn’t do anything secretly. I talked to the club in December when Portugal asked about me, so far I haven’t talked to anyone because there is no team I’ve spoken to. I can’t say objectively that I will stay. I have another year of contract with Roma, the situation is clear,” Mourinho said post-match.
The ‘I Giallorossi’ succeeded last season in the Conference League, beating Feyenoord 1-0 in the final through a goal from Nicolo Zaniolo. Next season, this group of players will try to fight again for silverware on both the domestic and European front. Chris Smalling has had a career revival in the Italian capital and is determined to fight for glory next season.
“There is sadness and disappointment in everyone because we fought hard to get to the final. Seeing others celebrate will stay with us for a long time. We have to try to have another chance next season. Mourinho was very proud of us at the end of the game. He said we have always been together and we must be strong because we win and lose together,” he said post-match.