'Feel like a true Romanista': Tearful Mourinho after winning historic 5th European trophy
Roma beat Feyenoord 1-0 in Tirana to ensure Jose Mourinho could add the inaugural Europa Conference League to his collection.
FollowIt was an emotional night for iconic football manager Jose Mourinho after he created history by clinching his fifth major European title following Roma's Europa Conference League victory on Wednesday.Â
The Portuguese, who had previously bagged the Champions League, Europa League and the UEFA Cup, emulated the record of Giovanni Trapattoni by completing an impressive European trophy haul.
Roma beat Feyenoord 1-0 in Tirana to ensure Mourinho could add the inaugural Europa Conference League to his collection. "There are so many things going through my head. So many things at the same time," he said, fighting back the tears on Sky Sport Italia.
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"I've been at Roma for 11 months, I realised the moment I arrived what it meant, they were waiting for this. As I told the lads in the locker room in Turin, we did what we needed to do, qualify for the Europa League. We had great work all season. This was not work tonight, this was history. We had to write history. We wrote it," an emotional Mourinho added.
"The Conference League is a competition that we had the sensation from the start we could win, but it got a stronger competition when the Europa League teams came in, Leicester City, Olympique Marseille and Feyenoord. But we were counting on it, we could've had a few more points in Serie A, but we put so much into this competition," he stated.
The Portuguese also vowed to stay at Roma and build a strong project. "Now I am staying, there are no doubts. Even if some rumours emerge, I only want to remain at Roma. We must understand what our owners, who are fantastic people, want to do next season, because this is history, but we can build a really strong project with honest professionals. We need to sit down and understand what the plan is for next season," Mourinho added.
"This remains in the history of Roma, but also mine, I was told only I, Sir Alex and Giovanni Trapattoni won trophies in three different decades. It makes me feel a little old, but it's nice for my career! Now I will go on vacation and sit on the beach to think about all this for a while," the Roma boss said.
Talking about his career so far, Mourinho lauded his time at Porto, Inter Milan, Manchester United and Roma since 2003.
"The great thing about my career is that, aside from the Europa League with Manchester United, doing it with Porto, Inter and Roma is very, very, very special. It's one thing to win when everyone expects it, when you made the investments to win, but it's quite another to win when something remains immortal, that feels truly special. I think of myself, of course, but above all the Roma fans who can celebrate tonight, enjoy themselves and remember this night forever," the Roma manager said.
Mourinho was asked if he feels like a real Romanista tonight. "Of course I feel like a Romanista, but that might be my way of working. I am a Porto fan, an Inter fan, a Chelsea fan, I am crazy about Real Madrid, I am now a Roma fan, I belong to all those clubs because we had these moments together. Tonight, with all due respect for all the clubs I worked for before, I am 100 per cent Romanista, because these fans are truly incredible," he concluded.
