Mourinho: Side showed discipline after derby delight

Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored the only goal of the game at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

How important was it to follow up the derby performance with another solid display here?

“It was a difficult game, it’s always hard to play here. Giampaolo’s sides are always very well organised – it’s never easy. Having said that, it’s true that the culture in Rome seems to be that if you win the derby you are in paradise, and if you lose it is a complete disaster.

“We were able to keep our feet on the ground, understanding nevertheless how important those points are. It was a really tough game here but we managed to achieve the key target – the three points.

“As far as the winning goal goals, in my opinion if it was another coach everyone would be talking right now about amazing football and building out from the back. But because it’s me, it’s hard [for people] to admit that.

“In the second half I liked the attitude of the guys. I was not so happy about the slight lack of ambition, though – even though we managed the game really well, if we had scored a second goal then the game would have been over.”

Today, not for the first time, Bryan Cristante was there to switch the play quickly – you seemed to use that option on a number of occasion to move the ball from flank to flank and create problems…

“I’ll give you a little laugh: that player is one that the press in Rome are sure I don’t want, that I don’t like and that next year will be up for sale.”

Henrikh Mkhitaryan is another player whose contract extension is up for discussion – what part will you play in that?

“He’s having an amazing season. I want Micki to stay here and he wants to stay as well. [General Manager] Tiago Pinto and the ownership want Micki to stay. Mino Raiola [Mkhitaryan’s agent] wants his players to be happy. So if Micki wants to stay, then clearly Mino will ensure he stays.”

Why did you drop the tempo later in the game? Were the players already starting to think about Thursday’s European game?

“No, I don’t think that was the case. But we know that, with the way Sampdoria play and how they use the centre of the pitch, that we needed to switch the play and look for the free man out wide. And we did that really well, thanks to Micki and Cristante.

“I don’t think that people were already thinking about Thursday. The truth is that they changed their system, the played a bit wider and deeper and that made it difficult for Tammy Abraham to press them. I think the game was seen out once we added fresh legs: Shomurodov came on and did well, where Tammy was a bit tired mentally and physically.

“For 30 or 35 minutes in the second half we played to control the game and see it out but without that extra fire needed to score a clinching goal. The central defenders played really well though, they were rock solid.

“I hope Sampdoria finish the season well and we come back to this great stadium again next season, with fans who live and breath this game.”

What did you think after getting Bodo/Glimt again in Europe?

“The first thought I had is that whenever you reach the quarter-finals of a competition – and I have been fortunate enough to do that many times – all the teams think they can go all the way and you need to respect whoever you face.

“We now have a double reason to do that: because they have reached the quarters and because they have done something historic – in a good way for them, in a negative way for us.

“Even in Rome, without the excuses of the synthetic pitch or the freezing cold, they drew with us and made it difficult for us. So it will be a tough tie, we will need to be at our best.”