Jose Mourinho, who defeated Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) and led them to the 2022-23 UEFA Europa League final, was criticized for using an overly defensive tactic.
After the match against AS Roma in the second leg of the 2022-23 UEFA Europa League semifinals on the 19th (Korean time), some Leverkusen players were furious.
AS Roma defeated Leverkusen 1-0 in the first leg at home on the 12th.
AS Roma,토토사이트 who could advance to the final even if it was a tie, chose a defensive tactic for the away game. It was a strategy not to concede instead of giving up ball possession to score. This included an intentional delay. The match ended in a 0-0 draw, and AS Roma advanced to the final with an aggregate score of 1-0 in the first and second legs. Leverkusen attempted 16 shots, while AS Roma only had one shot.
Coach José Mourinho hugs AS Roma players and celebrates reaching the UEFA Europa League final.
After the match, Leverkusen midfielder Kerem Demirbai told German RTL: “It’s a shame that such a performance was rewarded in a match at the same level as the semi-finals. AS Roma made the game disgusting.”
“All we didn’t have were goals. We weren’t lucky,” he continued. “It’s part of the game. AS Roma, let alone the manager, are an experienced team. But it’s a pity that such tactics pay off. It’s bittersweet in football. I’m proud of the way we played.”
Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso, on the other hand, hugged Mourinho as the final whistle blew. Alonso played for Real Madrid under Mourinho during his playing days.
Unlike usual, coach Mourinho, who celebrated the victory calmly, said, “I can forget during the game, but playing with friends is difficult for me. I did not want to celebrate in front of Alonso’s face, who is doing a great job.”
▲ Coach Xabi Alonso and Jose Mourinho. During his time at Real Madrid, he was both a player and a manager.
Mourinho took over as Roma last season and led them to the Europa Conference League title. It was the moment when he became the first coach to sweep three European competitions, including the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League, and the Europa Conference League. AS Roma had not made it to the European finals for 31 years until Mourinho took over, but after Mourinho came to the Europa Conference last season and this season’s Europa League finals, they had to play the European finals for two consecutive seasons.
AS Roma face Sevilla, Spain. Sevilla beat Juventus to advance to their 7th Europa League final. Sevilla has won all of their last six finals. Interestingly, Mourinho has never lost a European final. Sevilla and one of Mourinho’s managers drink a bitter cup for the first time.
The Europa League final will be held on the 1st of next month at the Pushkas Arena in Budapest, Hungary.