Roma sacks José Mourinho ‘with immediate effect’

LONDON – Roma has officially announced the dismissal of José Mourinho from his position as head coach, effective immediately, reported PA Media/dpa.

The decision comes as the Serie A club, currently placed ninth in the table, faces a downturn with only one victory in their last five league matches. 

The former Chelsea and Manchester United boss, who led Roma to the Europa League final last season after winning the Europa Conference League the campaign before, will leave them “with immediate effect”.

“AS Roma can confirm that José Mourinho and his coaching staff will leave the club with immediate effect,” read Roma’s official statement.

Club owners Dan and Ryan Friedkin expressed gratitude for Mourinho’s passion and efforts but emphasised that an immediate change is deemed necessary for the best interests of the club. 

“We would like to thank José on behalf of all of us at AS Roma for his passion and efforts since his arrival at the club.

“We will always have great memories of his tenure at Roma, but we believe that an immediate change is in the best interests of the club.”

Mourinho, who took over as head coach from Paulo Fonseca in May 2021, led Roma to a sixth-placed finish and secured the Conference League title in his inaugural season.

The 60-year-old Portuguese manager, known for his successful stints with Chelsea, winning three Premier League titles and the Champions League with Porto, faced challenges at Roma as the team finished sixth in Serie A last term and suffered a penalty shootout defeat to Sevilla in the Europa League final.

Mourinho’s departure follows a string of achievements, including winning the La Liga title with Real Madrid and the Europa League with Manchester United. The seasoned coach took charge at Roma after his tenure at Tottenham Hotspur. – January 16, 2024