Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho on Roma’s UECL win: ‘We had to write history. We wrote it’

By Nicholas MendolaMay 25, 2022, 6:01 PM EDT

“This was not work tonight, this was history. We had to write history. We wrote it.”

Those are the words of Jose Mourinho after AS Roma’s manager led them to their first continental trophy with a 1-0 win over Feyenoord in the UEFA Europa Conference League Final on Wednesday.

[ MORE: Zaniolo, Patricio lead Mourinho’s Roma to title ]

Mourinho knows finals, and he’s now five-for-five between Porto, Inter Milan, Manchester United, and Roma after he added the UECL crown to his two Europa League and two Champions League titles.

The ex-Chelsea and Tottenham boss was moved to tears after the win and then again during his first post-match interview, in which the 59-year-old said he would certainly be back for a second season with the club.

And why not? He joined Juventus legend Giovanni Trappatoni as the only managers to win five major European trophies.

The Special One feels special pride at delivering for Roma

Mourinho said he’s feeling at home, as he has at almost every stop since he first stunned the world by leading Porto to the European Cup.

“Of course I feel like a Romanista, but that might be my way of working,” Mourinho said. “I am a Porto fan, an Inter fan, a Chelsea fan, I am crazy about Real Madrid, I am now a Roma fan, I belong to all those clubs because we had these moments together. … Tonight, with all due respect for all the clubs I worked for before, I am 100 per cent Romanista, because these fans are truly incredible.”

[ MORE: PST’s Premier League 2021-22 awards ]

He says he’s grateful to add a crown for another big, historic club like Roma because it was a first for them.

“The great thing about my career is that, aside from the Europa League with Manchester United, doing it with Porto, Inter and Roma is very, very, very special,” Mourinho said. “It’s one thing to win when everyone expects it, when you made the investments to win, but it’s quite another to win when something remains immortal, that feels truly special.

“I think of myself, of course, but above all the Roma fans who can celebrate tonight, enjoy themselves and remember this night forever.”

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Roma vs Feyenoord final score: Zaniolo, Patricio lead Mourinho’s men

By Nicholas MendolaMay 25, 2022, 5:03 PM EDT

Roma has new silverware: Nicolo Zaniolo’s deft first-half goal and several big Rui Patricio saves gave Italy’s capital city the honor of winning the first UEFA Europa Conference League through a 1-0 victory over Feyenoord at Arena Kombetare in Tirana, Albania on Wednesday.

The win is Jose Mourinho’s fifth in five finals, giving him a Conference League title to go with Champions League wins with Porto and Inter Milan, and Europa League triumphs with Manchester United and Porto.

[ MORE: Mourinho speaks after Roma beats Feyenoord to UECL title ]

Ex-Wolves keeper Patricio had four saves in the first hour as Feyenoord also struck the woodwork. He’d finish the game with five saves.

Zaniolo took Gianluca Mancini’s 32nd-minutec cross, chested it down, and nipped the ball past Justin Biljow from close range to give Roma its lead.

[ MORE: PST’s Premier League 2021-22 awards ]

The 22-year-old Fiorentina and Inter Milan academy product has two goals in nine caps for Italy and was Serie A’s Best Young Player for the 2018-19 season with I Lupi.

This was a very Jose Mourinho performance, with Roma happy to hand the ball to their attack-minded opponents. Roma stayed tight, played physical, and kept the Wolves in position to lift the trophy.

Mourinho said Roma “had to write history.” They did.

“I am a Porto fan, an Inter fan, a Chelsea fan, I am crazy about Real Madrid, I am now a Roma fan, I belong to all those clubs because we had these moments together. … Tonight, with all due respect for all the clubs I worked for before, I am 100 per cent Romanista, because these fans are truly incredible.”

Roma vs Feyenoord final score, stats

ASRoma 1, Feyenoord 0

Scorers: Zaniolo (32′)

Shot attempts: ASRoma 9, Feyenoord 13

Shots on goal: ASRoma 3, Feyenoord 5

Possession: ASRoma 33, Feyenoord 67

THE TOUCH. THE FINISH.

NICOLO ZANIOLO STRIKES FIRST IN THE #UECL FINAL. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/O20qxZ2OxG

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 25, 2022

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Roma vs Feyenoord, Europa Conference League final: How to watch, stream link, odds

By Andy EdwardsMay 25, 2022, 2:00 PM EDT

A brand new trophy will be won and lifted for the first time on Wednesday, when Roma and Feyenoord clash in the Europa Conference League final (live, 3 pm ET).

[ VIDEO: Premier League season awards, Jesse Marsch, way-too-early predictions ]

The inaugural Europa Conference League final, in Tirana, Albania, will see Roma manager Jose Mourinho try to win the 12th different major trophy of his illustrious managerial career (he has won 19 in total, counting those won multiple times). A victory would also represent Roma’s first piece of silverware in 14 years (2007-08 Coppa Italia).

24-year-old striker Tommy Abraham has enjoyed a goal-filled first season of his post-Chelsea career, scoring 21 goals and tallying five assists (all competitions, including 17 goals and four assists in Serie A) while playing for Mourinho. Back then, Abraham was a 18-year-old academy graduate trying to make his way into the first team at Chelsea during Mourinho’s second stint in west London. On Wednesday, he’ll almost certainly start the Europa Conference League final one year after being left out of Thomas Tuchel’s Champions League final squad altogether.

Roma finished the 2021-22 season 6th in Serie A, meaning the Giallorossi will be in next season’s Europa League, a step up from the third-tier European competition, regardless of Wednesday’s result.

As for Feyenoord, it was a 3rd-place finish in the Eredivisie this season, 10 points off runners-up PSV and a dozen back of champions Ajax. With domestic success so elusive in recent years and decades (just one league title since the turn of the millennium), the chance to win a major European trophy has driven Arne Slot’s side to chase glory from the second qualifying round onward, adding an additional six games to their continental campaign.

Here is everything you need to know ahead of the Europa Conference League final this Wednesday with team news, odds, stream link and more.

How to watch Europa Conference League final live – stream link and start time

Kickoff: 3 pm ET, Wednesday
Online: Paramount+

Europa Conference League final betting odds

(Full odds provided by our partner, PointsBet)

Roma (+130) | Feyenoord (+205) | Draw (+225)

PointsBet is our Official Sports Betting Partner and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links

Roma injuries, team news, lineup

None

🟡📋🔴

Our team tonight – @HenrikhMkh makes it 👊#ASRoma #UECLfinal pic.twitter.com/U82jlLsidg

— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) May 25, 2022

Feyenoord injuries, team news, lineup

OUT: Cole Bassett (registration)

𝐗𝐈 𝐅𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐝 for the #UECLfinal #romfey

— Feyenoord Rotterdam (@Feyenoord) May 25, 2022

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European wrap: Leicester, West Ham fall but Rangers reach final

By Nicholas MendolaMay 5, 2022, 5:06 PM EDT

It wasn’t the stuff of dreams for Premier League sides, but Thursday’s European action between the Europa and Conference Leagues did deliver the goods for a club that plays just north of England.

Glasgow Rangers sprung a surprising and fairly convincing 3-1 second-leg win over Bundesliga mainstays RB Leipzig and will tangle with another German side, Eintracht Frankfurt, in the Europa League Final after West Ham suffered a 10-man loss and could not make a comeback from a first-leg deficit.

[ MORE: Liverpool’s obstacles to a quadruple ]

Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho is 90 minutes from adding a new trophy to his mantle as AS Roma got the lone goal of a second leg against Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City and will advance to the Europa Conference League Final to meet Feyenoord following a 0-0 draw with Marseille in the other semifinal.

The Europa League Final will be held May 18 in Seville, Spain, while the Conference League decider is headed for Tirana in Albania.

UEFA Europa League roundup

AS Roma 1-0 (2-1 agg.) Leicester City

Former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham did it to another English club on Thursday when his first-half header snapped a tie with Leicester to propel Jose Mourinho’s men past Brendan Rodgers’ side.

Mourinho did not make a substitution until the 78th minute as Roma, to no one’s surprise, were happy to cede possession.

But Roma goalkeeper Rui Patricio was only asked to make two saves by Leicester, the same number registered by his counterpart Kasper Schmeichel.

IT HAD TO BE TAMMY. 💥

His 9th goal of Roma's #UECL campaign. 🐺 pic.twitter.com/f6wKcHHeLL

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 5, 2022

Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0 (3-1 agg.) West Ham United

A 19th-minute last-man foul on Aaron Cresswell sent West Ham down to 10 men, making the proposition of a thrilling comeback all the more of a challenge for David Moyes’ Irons.

That got even trickier in the 26th minute, when Rafael Borre made the tie 3-1 on aggregate.

West Ham was only able to force Kevin Trapp into two saves, and Eintracht held 64 percent possession on the evening to seal a place in the final against Roma.

Rafael Borré is on hand for the finish. 🔥

Frankfurt take the lead over 10-men West Ham. 👀 pic.twitter.com/7U0xnMktcU

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 5, 2022

UEFA Conference League roundup

Marseille 0-0 (2-3 agg.) Feyenoord

Despite names like Dimitri Payet, Cengiz Under, Amine Harit, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Matteo Guendouzi, Arkadiusz Milik, and Reiss Nelson between the two sides, all the goals came in the first leg and that was just fine by Feyenoord.

The Dutch visitors made a 3-2 first-leg lead hold up over 90 minutes, sealing a place opposite Glasgow Rangers in a final pairing that defies many neutrals’ expectations.

Rangers 3-1 (3-2 agg.) RB Leipzig

The result of the day? Probably, as Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men made a 1-0 deficit a thing of the past within 24 minutes of kickoff when James Tavernier and Glen Kamara scored quickfire goals.

Leipzig set the game up for extra time, seemingly, when star forward Christopher Nkunku bagged a 70th-minute goal, but former Sheffield United midfielder John Lundstram answered within 10 minutes to restore the Scottish side’s advantage.

Glen Kamara, that was naughty. 👀

He dedicates his goal to Jimmy Bell. 💙 pic.twitter.com/QBq9hXDShe

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 5, 2022

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Top 30 Premier League moments: No. 7 – Jose Mourinho arrives at Chelsea, calls himself ‘The Special One’

By Joe Prince-WrightApr 7, 2022, 11:54 AM EDT

To celebrate the 30th season of the Premier League, we are counting down and ranking our top 30 moments in Premier League history and this time Jose Mourinho takes center stage.

[ MORE: How to watch Premier League in USA ]

That’s right, yours truly, Joe Prince-Wright, has selected the top 30 moments in PL history.

This is not only a huge honor, but also a huge headache. How on earth do you condense 30 seasons of magic into 30 individual moments!?

Well, we did it.

How will our Premier League top 30 moments work?

Before each matchweek from now until the end of the 2021-22 season we will unveil the latest moment, as we count down the top moments in PL history from 30 to 1.

From incredible goals to late title drama and emotional sendoffs to legendary players dazzling awe-inspired crowds, we’re going to celebrate and rank the best moments this wonderful league has produced.

Click on the video above to see number 7, as below we focus on Jose Mourinho and his legendary arrival at Chelsea and the Premier League.

Premier League Top 30 moments: Number 7 – Jose Mourinho arrives at Chelsea, calls himself ‘The Special One’

Fresh from winning the UEFA Champions League trophy with FC Porto, Jose Mourinho arrived to take charge of Chelsea in the summer of 2004 and made an immediate impact. On and off the pitch.

In his first press conference as Chelsea boss he proclaimed that he was ‘not one of the bottle’ and then delivered the now famous line with a deadpan expression: ‘I think I am a special one.’

The rest, as they say, is history. Mourinho was, and is, special.

He won back-to-back Premier League titles in his first two seasons in charge of Chelsea, as they won the 2004-05 trophy to end a 50-year wait to become English champions. He then left Chelsea and won a Champions League title at Inter Milan as part of a historic treble, before winning trophies at Real Madrid and he turned up at Chelsea once again in 2013 and led them to Premier League glory in the 2014-15 season. He then won titles at Manchester United for good measure, before his recent spells at Tottenham and currently Roma.

All in all he’s won two Champions League titles and two Europa League titles plus the league in England (three times), Portugal (two times), Italy (twice) and Spain. He has also won an FA Cup, four League Cups, an Italian Cup, Copa del Rey and the Portuguese Cup among his incredible array of major trophies.

Whatever you think about Mourinho the man and Mourinho the coach, you cannot deny he knows exactly how to rile people up and his trophy record in Portugal, England, Italy and Spain, plus in European competitions, is special.

It looks like ‘The Special One’ tag will never leave Jose Mourinho. Some moments are unforgettable and this was one of those.

Top 30 list

30: Dennis Bergkamp’s brilliant hat trick
29: Newcastle’s amazing comeback from 4-0 down
28: Heung-min Son’s stunning solo goal
27: Thierry Henry’s incredible volley v. Man United
26: Late drama in epic Manchester derby
25: Olivier Giroud scores sensational scorpion kick goal
24: Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira clash in tunnel
23: West Brom’s epic ‘Great Escape’ from relegation
22: Paolo Di Canio’s stunning scissor volley
21: Blackburn Rovers win title on final day
20: Cristiano Ronaldo scores stunning free kick
19: Kevin Keegan’s infamous rant
18: Chelsea win first-ever PL title, first league title in 50 years
17: David Beckham scores amazing goal from halfway line
16: Heart-wrenching Steven Gerrard slip costs Liverpool title
15: Manchester United, Arsenal clash in ‘Battle of the Buffet’
14: Wayne Rooney, 16, scores amazing goal: ‘Remember the name’
13: Eric Cantona scores incredible chip, then delivers iconic celebration
12: Sheikh Mansour buys Manchester City, as new era arrives
11: Alan Shearer breaks Newcastle’s all-time scoring record
10: Sir Alex Ferguson bids farewell, calls time on legendary coaching career
9: Liverpool win first Premier League trophy, first league title in 30 years
8: Goalkeeper Alisson scores dramatic season-saving goal
7: Jose Mourinho arrives in England at Chelsea, names himself ‘The Special One’

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Latest transfer news

The Special One feels special pride at delivering for Roma

Premier League

Roma vs Feyenoord final score, stats

Premier League

How to watch Europa Conference League final live – stream link and start time

Europa Conference League final betting odds

(Full odds provided by our partner, PointsBet)

Roma injuries, team news, lineup

Feyenoord injuries, team news, lineup

Latest Premier League news

Premier League news

UEFA Europa League roundup

AS Roma 1-0 (2-1 agg.) Leicester City

Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0 (3-1 agg.) West Ham United

UEFA Conference League roundup

Marseille 0-0 (2-3 agg.) Feyenoord

Rangers 3-1 (3-2 agg.) RB Leipzig

Latest transfer news

How will our Premier League top 30 moments work?

Premier League Top 30 Moments

Premier League Top 30 moments: Number 7 – Jose Mourinho arrives at Chelsea, calls himself ‘The Special One’

Top 30 list