Jose Mourinho, formerly at the helm of Manchester United, has been dismissed by Roma after a string of unfavorable results in Serie A, winning only one of the last five games. Despite leading Roma to victory in the Europa Conference League in his first season, the team currently languishes in ninth place in Serie A. Mourinho’s contract termination occurred abruptly, nearly six months before its intended conclusion.
When Mourinho assumed the managerial role at Roma in May 2021, the initial season saw success with the team clinching the Europa Conference League, breaking an 11-year trophy drought. However, recent setbacks, including a 3-1 defeat to AC Milan, led to the decision to part ways.
Roma’s owners, Dan and Ryan Friedkin, expressed gratitude for Mourinho’s commitment but emphasized the necessity for an immediate change for the club’s benefit. Mourinho had taken charge from Paulo Fonseca with the objective of improving on the team’s seventh-place finish in Serie A.
Despite some notable acquisitions like Rui Patricio and Matias Vina, adhering to UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations compelled Mourinho to release players such as Edin Dzeko, Javier Pastore, and Pedro.
In Mourinho’s inaugural season, Roma secured a sixth-place finish, a slight improvement from the previous year. The team’s remarkable journey in the Europa Conference League captured attention, culminating in a victory in the final against Leicester, marking Mourinho’s first title as manager.
While Roma finished sixth in the subsequent season, reaching the Europa League final was a significant achievement. Despite a thrilling final, they lost in a penalty shootout, marking Mourinho’s first defeat in a European final. Financial constraints led to Roma borrowing or signing players for free last summer.
Despite a challenging start to the season, Roma’s performance showed improvement before the recent downturn, which included elimination from the Coppa Italia following a 1-0 loss to Lazio. Mourinho had expressed his desire to stay at the club despite uncertainties about his future.
