“Stay in Rome? Yes, but I deserve more.” And he throws the silver medal in the stands

Even on such a night he managed to be Special. Yes, because with 20,000 incredulous in the stands in Budapest, another 55,000 in Rome in an Olympic stadium populated by giant screens and a physically and psychologically shattered team, he pulled the rabbit out of the hat. As he had done with Dybala, on the pitch, a few hours earlier. This time the surprise is one that takes you by surprise but at the same time makes you smile. José did it to everyone again: “I’m staying, I’m not leaving, I’m staying here with you” is the gist of the speech he made by taking his boys, reuniting the family under the sector of lovers with tears in their eyes. Penalties, still them, to extinguish dreams of glory. But don’t want to try again. With his team: «I still have my things in Trigoria but now it’s time to talk to the owners – he will continue in the press room – The last time was in December, when Portugal looked for me, then I didn’t had nothing more. I deserve more, indeed we deserve more. I want to fight with this team but I’m tired of having to do too much. I go on vacation on Monday and during the vacation I will rest. I repeat, I want to stay, but I want to fight for something more. I’m a little tired of being a coach, a man of communication, of being the face that says “we’ve been robbed”. I’m a little tired of being so much. But I want to stay with the conditions to give more». It is the caress that soothes the slap received from Montiel’s last penalty. The hope to which he clings to swallow yet another low blow. He had never gone to penalties in the five international finals he had won in his career. The diskette, and the sixth, were fatal for him.

Dybala in tears at the end of Sevilla-Roma: the Argentine’s goal (on the pitch for 67 minutes) was not enough

Mourinho, desire for revenge

But there is a desire for revenge. And he did it by chasing referee Taylor in the mixed area, up to the Van, accusing him of the mistakes made during the match. But for a winner, tomorrow is what counts. Today, in José’s mind, is already yesterday. His permanence could lead Joya to stay too. With all due respect to that release clause that scares Roma supporters so much. Speaking of Paulo, Mou returns to the pre-tactic that brought him closer to the final: «I didn’t hide it. I’ve only done this for the last 2-3 days. Because he was really badly injured. Paolino made a complicated entrance, then when you see Dybala play you understand that with him in the last two months our results would have been different. Did he cry? There are different ways to react. I usually cry when I win and not when I lose. They are different ways of reacting. The boys died physically because they gave everything. We played 150 minutes, 7 minutes of added time in the first half. They are reminiscent of the World Cup. But it’s nice to see sad boys, I like it, because it means they have something inside. I always say that the day I no longer feel defeated I will go home. Next year the party continues. Will Dybala be there? I don’t know, you have to ask him. He is not bound to me. He is a Roma player and not Mourinho’s».

Path

It’s been two memorable seasons for what Mourinho has represented for Roma and for the people of Roma. José fell perfectly into the people, who soon became his. He spoke the language of the fans, he sat next to them. He has created a group of men, without those champions who have studded his career and made him a real team. A monolith, capable of repelling enemies and absorbing troubles (and this year they arrived in series, especially from the infirmary), transforming them into motivations, novelties, ideas. And now, on the most difficult evening, he is ready to go again. The ball passes to the Friedkins. Missing him would be another knockout. Paradoxically even more painful.

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