Optimism was high when Roma appointed the much-travelled Jose Mourinho as head coach this past summer.
The Giallorossi ended last season in seventh and finished six points behind city rivals Lazio. This meant that for consecutive seasons the Biancocelesti were kings of Rome, something they last managed nearly a decade ago.
So, the powers that be reached out to Portugal’s most decorated coach, meaning the recently sacked Tottenham boss was making a Serie A homecoming. Mourinho previously won back-to-back Scudetto’s while managing Inter Milan and he left them after winning a historic treble.
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Given Mourinho’s recent struggles, many have started to wonder if the fire no longer burns. Those sentiments were kept a bay following a strong opening month, but they’ve since resurfaced and one can only wonder after their humiliating 0-3 loss at home against the Nerazzurri (which must hurt all the more, given Mourinho’s past connection).
Expecting him to open up soon after the full-time whistle screeched was expecting too much and Mourinho made as much known in his post-match news conference, reportedly telling a journalist: “Your job is a lot easier than ours which is why we earn a lot more than you.”
Mourinho refuses to take the first question and tells a journalist: “Your job is a lot easier than ours which is why we earn a lot more than you” pic.twitter.com/spMDacWgrU
— Patrick Kendrick (@patrickendrick) December 4, 2021
His snarky comment will understandably pour more fuel in the ‘Mourinho past his best’ fire; even before these comments this latest humbling defeat was newsworthy in more ways than one:
Behind at the break…
Fine primo tempo.
Siamo sotto di tre gol.#RomaInter pic.twitter.com/YwXpnI7VUD
— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) December 4, 2021
Mourinho seeing his side trailing at half-time is not a new phenomena; he made a habit of masterminding second-half comebacks throughout an illustrious two-decade long managerial career. However, never before had the Portuguese tactician been three goals behind by the break.
Inter, who came into this showdown having won three on the bounce, raced into a 0-3 lead before 40 minutes were played with Denzel Dumfries netting his first Inter goal in the process. It meant Mourinho had seen his team concede three uninterrupted goals before the break for the first time in a top-flight game.
In 21 anni di campionati nazionali tra Portogallo, Inghilterra, Italia e Spagna, è la prima volta che una squadra allenata da #Mourinho va all'intervallo sotto 0-3 #RomaInter
— Giuseppe Pastore (@gippu1) December 4, 2021
It is also the joint-worst home defeat of his career, level with the 3-0 loss Manchester United suffered at against Spurs in August 2018.
Olympico
Rui Patricio won't be watching that one back… ?
Hakan Calhanoglu scores directly from the corner after the Roma keeper has a nightmare ? pic.twitter.com/zHGChc0yCR
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 4, 2021
It was somewhat fitting the deadlock at the Stadio Olimpico was broken by Hakan Çalhanoğlu, who scored directly from a corner kick. This is also known as an ‘Olympico’ after Cesáreo Onzari’s effort for Argentina against Uruguay at the 1924 games.
Once the hapless Rui Patrico was beaten, it meant the Turkish international had now been involved in five goals (one assist and four goals) across his last five league games, which is as many as during the previous 15 Serie A matches.
Revenge of the Ex
As a Roma player, Edin Dzeko scored 119 goals in 260 games for the club.
This evening, he has just put his new side Inter 2-0 up at the Stadio Olimpico. ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/phNy8SDf1B
— Squawka (@Squawka) December 4, 2021
You just knew that, with Edin Dzeko starting, the former Roma marksman would play a key role in today’s showdown. Having left the Italian capital for Milan, to fill Romelu Lukaku’s shoes, the Bosnian centre-forward had started his new life on fire having bagged seven goals in nine matches. Those strikes would dry up as Dzeko endured a six-game scoring drought. Until the 24th minute, that was, when he netted past his former club.
It’s like buses
Before the visit of AC Milan on Halloween, no Serie A club had been able to visit a team coached by Mourinho and leave with all three points. Zlatan Ibrahimović and company put an end to his unbeaten streak when they eked out a 1-2 win. Roma made amends next time out at home when they beat Torino but Mourinho obviously couldn’t make it back-to-back wins this evening when meeting Inter the first time.