AS Roma has parted ways with coach José Mourinho with immediate effect. The Italian Serie A club announced this on Tuesday morning (January 16, 2024).
“On behalf of all of us at AS Roma, we would like to thank José for his passion and commitment since his arrival at the club,” Roma owners Dan and Ryan Friedkin said in a statement.
Serie A, 20th matchday arrow right
Only ninth place in the league
Last year, AS Roma made it to the final of the Europa League with Mourinho’s defensive tactics – on the way there, the Italians also defeated Bayer Leverkusen in the semi-finals with Xabi Alonso (0:1, 0:0). But little came together this season.
The decision to separate was made after a sustained negative series. The elimination in the derby against Lazio in the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia and only ninth place in the league – most recently there was a 1:3 at AC Milan on Sunday without Mourinho on the bench – have apparently been the last straw for the owners. Added to this were the constant sending offs and penalties against the often uncontrolled star coach.
Mourinho’s time at AS Roma will be remembered fondly, according to a statement from the club, which won the Conference League under Mourinho in 2022. However, an immediate change is in the best interests of the club. The 60-year-old Portuguese has been the coach at the Roman club since 2021.
Club icon Daniele De Rossi, who played for Roma for almost 20 years as a player and became world champion with Italy in 2006, is considered a promising candidate to succeed Mourinho. The 40-year-old was most recently under contract as a coach with second division club SPAL Ferrara.
The reputation has suffered despite many titles
At the beginning of January it was announced that sports director Tiago Pinto would be leaving at the end of the month. Mourinho once made a name for himself as “the special one” at Chelsea FC. But recently the man who sensationally led FC Porto to triumph in the Champions League in 2004 seemed to be a discontinued model.
His contract in Rome would have expired in the summer; Mourinho, who also coached the world clubs Real Madrid, Manchester United and Inter Milan and won an impressive 26 titles, only lasted 17 months at Tottenham Hotspur.