Mourinho: The team is heading in the right direction

Stephan El Shaarawy and Tammy Abraham got the goals in another invaluable victory for the Giallorossi!

What did you make of the game today?

“Obviously when it’s 2-0 there is always a chance for things to change. We had a bad experience last year against Juventus in similar circumstances and this year we had a good experience at AC Milan: a two-goal gap does not mean the game is over.

“But, yes, it’s true that from the bench I felt quite calm; we managed the game well, we kept the ball well and we also did a good job in transition.

“In that sense it was a fairly straightforward game, at a ground where it’s never easy and against an opponent who can cause problems. We did a good job of taking control of the game and creating a feeling that we had control.”

Can you explain what’s going on with Nicolo Zaniolo?

“The General Manager spoke before the game and I think he said the right things. The key point is that we won the game today, the important thing is that we played well. Now we will see what happens.

“I have my opinion, my feeling, and that is that on February 1 he will be here. But the transfer window is still open and Nicolo’s stated desire is to leave. But that’s how I see things.”

If he was to have a change of heart, would you welcome him back with open arms?

“What sort of change of heart?”

You said it yourself; he’s stated that he wants to leave.

“Yes, he has expressed his desire to leave – but that does not mean that he actually will leave. Even I might have liked to be in London with the family for dinner this evening, but here I am!”

Why do you have this feeling he won’t leave?

“Because Nicolo is a big player, he has a significant transfer value and what’s currently on the table for him are offers that are impossible for the club to consider. Usually, when a player has a great desire to leave, that desire is accompanied by a big offer that is hard to say no to. But there's nothing right now, or at least very little. So that’s why my feeling right now is that he will be here on February 1.”

And on February 1, how will you manage this situation?

“How will I manage it? Those who work hard and deserve to play will play. Those who don’t work as hard and don’t deserve to play will not play. Occasionally selection decisions can be unfair, like they were a bit today, because I have a lot of players who work really hard and warrant a chance to play, but in the end I’ve decided not to use them. I always try to do what is in the best interests of the club. I did that on my first day here, and up until my last day I will always try to do what I think is the best thing for the club.

“If Zaniolo is here with us on February 1, then he’s an extra option we have.”

But you have always jumped to the defence of Zaniolo, you’ve invested a lot in him. Coaches can get pretty disappointed in such circumstances…

“I have a great relationship with him, to be honest. I have always tried to help him and he has always responded with great effort. That’s why, even when people expect more goals or assists of game-changing moments from him, I defend him – because I will always defend those who give everything for me and for my team.

“I will always be at his side. Right now, he wants to leave and that’s something I have to accept. But, that being said, where is the offer? Where is the offer that is acceptable for Roma, that might allow us to add to our squad? Because if Nicolo does leave then someone is going to have to come in to replace him.

“And if Nicolo leaves for six months [on loan], even if it might be to a great league, if nothing comes back in exchange then that is an unacceptable option too. It annoys me that in all this it seems like Tiago Pinto is the bad guy: he’s not the bad guy of the story. He always tries to defend Roma’s best interests.”

You’ve just said that if Zaniolo goes then someone has to come in. In what position or role would that be? And where would you say Ola Solbakken fits in?

“Right now I’m not thinking about that: I won’t waste my time, because it does not seem to me that it is something that will actually happen. Honestly, there are always names mentioned … I’ve seen Deulofeu and Ziyech already but we are not thinking about anyone because honestly I don’t think anything will happen.

“As for Solbakken, he needs a bit of time – he’s been playing at a different level, training in different circumstances, playing in a tactical setup that is very different to ours. He needs to learn about us, bit-by-bit. He’s played a couple of minutes in two games and has barely touched the ball. With it being 2-0 I didn’t want to take a risk. If we have to defend, if we are in a low block and he doesn’t know what he has to do and we concede a goal…

“But he’s a talented boy, with him and Volpato we have two real talents there. We are in a good place. And of course we also have that boy, that little guy who doesn’t play much … Dybala [laughs].”

Does what is going on at Juventus open up a real possibility of qualifying for the Champions League for Roma?

“I don’t want to talk about those sorts of things. Those things will be discussed in tribunals. I look at the league standings with Juventus as they were a few days ago. Now I think we are six points behind them.

“Now, if they should be found guilty then obviously they have to pay the price for that. If the situation changes, it changes. But right now all I am thinking is that we are doing pretty well and, since the World Cup, we have come back and won our games, also drawing in the San Siro despite being in a pretty tough spot for a while there.

“The team is going well at the moment. It will get harder when we are playing three games a week, because we will suffer a little bit more.”