Rome (AP) – After moving into the final of the Conference League with AS Roma, the otherwise cool and sometimes cocky José Mourinho cried uncontrollably.
“Why did I burst into tears? Because I feel what they all feel. It’s a big club without the trophy collection for the social importance of the club,” said the Portuguese star football coach after the 1-0 (1-0) im Conference League semi-final second leg v Leicester City. “It’s not a trophy yet, just a final. But it means a lot to them. My emotions were for them,” said Mourinho, looking at the 70,000 fans at home’s Stadio Olimpico.
Mourinho: ‘It’s a win for the family’
“Over the years I’ve become less self-centered and more like a father. It’s a victory for the family,” added Mourinho, who used to make headlines with bouts of arrogance. “It’s not just about family on the pitch and on the bench, it’s about the whole stadium. That’s our greatest achievement: this empathy and the feeling of family that we created with the fans.”
The 59-year-old is the first coach to reach European finals with four different clubs. He can be the first coach to win the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League. He has won all four international finals to date: the 2003 UEFA Cup and 2004 Champions League finals with FC Porto, as well as the 2010 Champions League finals with Inter Milan and the 2017 Europa League finals with Manchester United. “I’ve been lucky enough to play in bigger and more prestigious finals than this one,” said Mourinho. “But how we have created a family atmosphere here gives me a special feeling.”
Mourinho also wants to lead Roma to the title against Feyenoord Rotterdam on May 25 in Tirana, Albania. The Dutch were handed a 0-0 draw at Olympique Marseille after 3-2 in the first leg. For Rome it would only be the second international title after winning the Fairs Cup in 1961.