Roma Parts Ways with Mourinho, Welcomes De Rossi as New Head Coach

Jose Mourinho has been removed from his position as the manager of Roma, and in his place, the club has chosen its former captain, Daniele de Rossi.

Mourinho, aged 60, took charge in May 2021 and secured the Europa Conference League title a year later, reaching the Europa League final in 2023 but ending in defeat.

However, Roma currently sits at ninth place in Serie A, five points away from the Champions League spots, and was eliminated from the Coppa Italia by city rivals Lazio last week.

Daniele de Rossi, a revered midfielder, has been appointed to succeed Mourinho.

The club’s original protege, 40-year-old De Rossi, honed his skills in Roma’s academy and made 616 appearances for the first team between 2001 and 2019.

De Rossi retired from professional football in 2020 and subsequently tried his hand at management, with a brief 17-game tenure at Serie B club SPAL that concluded with his dismissal in February.

“We believe that his leadership and determination, integral parts of his character, can play a decisive role in pursuing the team’s goals for the remainder of the season,” stated Roma’s owners, Dan and Ryan Friedkin.

“We recognized the profound bond shared between Daniele and the club. However, the fervor with which he swiftly embraced this opportunity only strengthens our confidence in his capacity to lead the players and embody the proud values of our organization.”

De Rossi, who has played 117 times for Italy and won the World Cup in 2006, stated, “The emotions of being able to sit on our bench are indescribable. Everyone knows what Roma means to me, but the work that lies ahead is already underway.

“We don’t have time, no other choice. Staying competitive in matches, fighting for our goals, and striving to achieve them are the only priorities my team and I have set for ourselves.”

De Rossi’s appointment was confirmed within just four hours of Mourinho being sacked, with the Friedkins expressing gratitude to the Portuguese manager for his “passion and commitment.”

“While we’ll forever hold onto the memories of his leadership, we think it’s crucial to make immediate changes for the club’s greater good,” they mentioned in their statement.

Mourinho received a second consecutive red card in the loss to Lazio and later, in comparing himself to Harry Potter, suggested that his profile was “raising expectations” for what Roma could achieve.

Following that result, Roma suffered a 3-1 defeat to AC Milan, leaving them five points adrift of fourth-placed Fiorentina and resulting in Mourinho’s dismissal.

Winning the 2022 Conference League secured Roma’s first major European title, earning Mourinho substantial support among the club’s fanbase.

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However, after a disappointing start to the current season, with just five points from their first six Serie A matches, including a penalty shootout loss to Sevilla in last season’s Europa League final, Roma found themselves in 16th place in the table.

Mourinho, who claimed to have rejected the “craziest offer” to leave last summer, stated that his contract was set to expire at the end of the current season.