Pellegrini: Roma players ‘wanted’ Mourinho to stay on anniversary of sacking

ROME, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 17: AS Roma head coach Jose Mourinho looks on during the Serie A TIM match between AS Roma and Empoli FC at Stadio Olimpico on September 17, 2023 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini admits that he and his teammates were ‘shocked’ by the club’s decision to part ways with Jose Mourinho this time last year, and has revealed that the Giallorossi squad ‘wanted him to stay’. 

Mourinho was sacked by Roma on January 16, 2024, one year ago on Thursday, which is when Pellegrini sat down to give an in-depth interview to Corriere dello Sport, published on Friday. 

It has been a turbulent time in the Stadio Olimpico dugout since Mourinho’s departure, as the team are now onto their third different coach since the Special One departed. Daniele De Rossi briefly turned things around, but was let go in September, while Ivan Juric’s tenure lasted just a matter of weeks. 

Pellegrini: Roma players ‘wanted’ Mourinho to stay

Asked if he knew the significance of the date on Thursday, Pellegrini told Corriere dello Sport: “I know, yes. It was our day off, the 16th of January a year ago: They sent Mourinho away. 

“It was a shock because none of us could have imagined it. It wasn’t a great moment for us.” 

Pellegrini admits that he and the squad were aware of the rumours surrounding Mourinho’s potential departure several weeks prior, and that some squad members went to confront then-director Tiago Pinto on the matter. 

“At the end of November we read that they wanted to get rid of him. We went to Tiago Pinto to ask if it was true and we explained that there was no need to send him away. We wanted to carry on with him.” 

Pinto, however, told the squad that the rumours were simply: “Inventions from the newspapers.” 

That proved not to be the case in the end, as Mourinho was officially dismissed on January 16. 

He did not waste too much time getting back into management, as he joined Fenerbahce at the end of the season. Fener currently sit in second place in the Turkish Super Lig table, eight points off Victor Osimhen and Galatasaray at the summit.

Pellegrini went on to give further praise to Mourinho, and dismissed any suggestions that he and the squad turned against the coach or his predecessor Daniele De Rossi.

“I had some of the best years of my career with Jose. We spoke on the phone immediately after his sacking and I wanted to clarify my position with other ridiculous rumours going around. He understood. Mou is amazing, he inspires you.

“We told ourselves that if he asked us to hit our heads against a tree, we would all do it. Suggestions of betraying Daniele (De Rossi) are complete science fiction: Inventions from people who have no idea about the relationship I had and still have with him. Often the truth is not of interest.”