Jose Mourinho has described Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy as ‘a unique person in football’ in reference to the decision to sack him days before the club contested last season’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester City. Interim head coach Ryan Mason took charge of Spurs for the Wembley showpiece which they went on to lose to Pep Guardiola’s side.
Prior to his dismissal in April of last year Mourinho had overseen Spurs’ exit from the FA Cup and Europa League; amid their disappointing league form that saw them sit seventh in the table. However, the 59-year-old was confirmed as Roma’s new boss just three weeks later and took over from Paulo Fonseca at the start of the season.
Mourinho has guided Roma to fifth in the Serie A table as well as the semi finals of the Europa Conference League. And they will host Leicester City in the return leg at the Stadio Olimpico on May 5 after securing a 1-1 draw at the King Power Stadium on Thursday.
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Prior to the game, Mourinho was asked if he was afraid to beat the Foxes in case he was sacked as had happened the previous year at Tottenham. And the veteran boss couldn’t help but to have a sly dig a Levy’s expense.
“No, I’m not afraid I just hope we can win," he told reporters at his pre-match press conference. “I think Roma as a city, as a club, my players, the people that work in the club I think for the work that we all did this season to try to improve the club at every level I think we deserve to be in the final.
“But unfortunately football sometimes doesn’t give what you deserve and to be in the final you have to beat a very good team, with a very good coach and very good players. We have to be at a high level in two matches if we want to reach that dream of taking Rome to a final.
“If I’m afraid to win the semi-final and be sacked, no I’m not afraid I have to admit that in my long career with so many things that happened for me, for good for bad that one is quite unique but I think Mr Levy is quite a unique person in football.”
