‘There are people in this locker room who are a bit too nice, a bit too weak’
Jose Mourinho has criticised his Roma team for being “weak” and “lacking personality” after they blew a 3-1 lead to lose 4-3 to Juventus on Sunday.
Roma cruised into a 3-1 lead thanks to goals from Tammy Abraham, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Lorenzo Pellegrini, but Juventus scored three times in seven minutes to turn the match on its head.
The home side had a chance to level the tie late on, but Juve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny saved a penalty from Pellegrini to preserve the lead.
Having also lost 3-1 to AC Milan in midweek, Mourinho was less than impressed with the defeat to Max Allegri’s side.
“We were in total control for 70 minutes,” he told DAZN.
“The team played really well and had the mentality of taking control, we came out and started strong. We had this idea of the high press, of controlling the tempo and taking the initiative.
“It was so good for 70 minutes, then there was this psychological collapse. The 3-2 killed us, because Felix [Afena-Gyan] had an extraordinary game, which finished with a sprint against [Juan] Cuadrado. I take him off and his replacement [Eldor Shomurodov] gets it all wrong.
“When we allowed them back in for 3-2, a team with a strong mentality like Juventus, a strong character, the fear set in. A psychological complex. It’s not a problem for me having 3-2, it’s a problem for them. For my team.
“At the end of the day, when you’re in the s***, you get back on your feet and find your character. But there are people in this locker room who are a bit too nice, a bit too weak.
“I already told the players, if the game had ended at the 70th minute, it would’ve been an extraordinary performance. Unfortunately, it didn’t end then.”
Jose Mourinho on his players after they blew a 3-1 lead vs. Juventus: “At the end of the day, when you’re in the ****, you get back on your feet and find your character. But there are people in this locker room who are a bit too nice, a bit too weak.” #RomaJuve #SerieA
— Bolarinwa Olajide (@iambolar) January 10, 2022
The defeat leaves Roma in seventh in Serie A – nine points behind fourth-placed Atalanta, who also have a game in hand.
Having added Ainsley Maitland-Niles to their ranks – with the versatile player joining on loan from Arsenal – the former Spurs, Manchester United and Chelsea manager hopes more reinforcements with “physicality and personality” with follow.
He added: “I never thought my personality was enough. I thought it could be a bit easier. For 70 minutes we played a game that is also a consequence of the talent we have, but in the main choices of the squad and the players who play there is often a lack of personality, even in managing emotions and in the game.
“I want to work here every day of these three years, not a day less. I need help from the club that really matches our potential. Now we’re signing two players on loan to help the team, one was Maitland-Niles and another midfielder who I think will arrive next week. A player with more physicality and personality, suitable to have some responsibility.
“This thing of playing in the comfort zone, of playing to be six to seven is too easy for some personalities. We need to get out of this mentality.
“After Milan I told the guys that it’s them who has to move closer to me, it’s not me who has to become similar to their psychological profile. I don’t want to.”
Roma have lost nine of their opening 21 league matches and have won just two of their last six Serie A matches.
Related links:
- Jose Mourinho intervenes to stop Roma fans’ ‘racist’ chants at Zlatan Ibrahimovic
- Jose Mourinho hits out at journalist after refusing to take any questions following Roma defeat
- Jose Mourinho (almost) takes full responsibility for humiliating Roma defeat
