MY ACCOUNT
Jose Mourinho is chasing his next trophy, with Roma holding a one-goal advantage ahead of tonight’s Europa League tie with Bayer Leverkusen.
Edoardo Bove notched the decisive strike in the first leg of the Giallorossi’s semi-final as the Europa Conference League winners seek another continental crown.
As the Serie A giants travel to Germany for the reverse fixture, we assess Mourinho’s future in the Eternal City.
Roma romance
Remaining in Rome looks to be most logical for Mourinho. He has a year left on his contract and has noticeably improved the team, particularly from a defensive standpoint.
Only three Serie A sides have conceded fewer goals this term, while they have kept clean sheets in four of their last six European outings.
After the 4-1 Europa League quarter-final second-leg victory over Feyenoord, the charismatic manager responded positively when questioned about his uncertain future.
He said: “I’m happy here, I can’t hide it. I’m happy because I like the people here and they like me. I have a good relationship with the owners.
“The players are amazing, I have tremendous empathy with all of them. I can’t say that they are like my children, I love Jose and Matilda so much but they are almost like children to me.”
Club CEO Pietro Berardi is similarly calm, saying last February: “Personally, I’m convinced that Jose Mourinho will be Roma’s coach next year.”
French fancy
It is no secret that Paris Saint-Germain have long admired Mourinho and are likely to dispense with current boss Christophe Galtier at the end of an underwhelming campaign.
On the surface, appointing Mourinho could be a perfect choice.
PSG are desperate for European success and with the Special One boasting two Champions League titles on his list of honours, there are few coaches with a more impressive CV.
However, adding another fiery character to a soap opera of big-name egos and a famously impatient fan base could be a recipe for disaster.
It may be the French champions opt instead for ex-midfielder Thiago Motta, now in charge of Bologna, or Julian Nagelsmann, currently out of work after being sacked by Bayern Munich in March.
Premier League return
After failed spells at Manchester United and Tottenham, Mourinho may feel he has a score to settle in England.
But options in the Premier League are limited, with former club Chelsea — who won seven major domestic trophies under the Portuguese — set to hire Mauricio Pochettino as Graham Potter’s permanent successor.
Elsewhere, Manchester City, Arsenal, United, Newcastle and Liverpool all have settled coaches at the helm, while Spurs are unlikely to return to the ex-Porto man.
For now, Mourinho may be best to wait in the Italian capital and hope to add further silverware to his collection before the season is out.
