Serie A: Jose Mourinho, Roma can rescue disappointing European season for Italy with a Conference League title

Jose Mourinho is the last manager to have won a European trophy with an Italian club. It was 2010 when then Portuguese coach won the UEFA Champions League with Inter Milan. Twelve years later he chasing a different trophy bringing AS Roma to the semifinals of the UEFA Conference League, the new, third, European competition that was launched this season. It’s clear that we are talking about a much different competition but AS Roma fans are desperate to see their team win a trophy more than ten years after the last time they lifted any silverware. The Giallorossi are the only Italian club left across Europe’s three men’s club competitions. Juventus were shockingly eliminated from the Champions League by Villarreal (although now that Unai Emery’s men have also beaten Bayern the sting isn’t quite so sharp) and Atalanta were eliminated from the UEFA Europa League in the quarterfinalsbyt RB Leipzig.

Every year there are discussions about the status of Italian soccer that is definitely going through some difficult years in terms of European cups. After Inter Milan won the Champions League in 2010 only Juventus have been successful, reaching the final twice but losing on both occasions against Barcelona in 2015 and against Real Madrid in 2017. In the Europa League only Inter Milan reached the final in 2020 under Antonio Conte but ultimately lost against Seville. That was the only time that an Italian side played the Europa League’s final since 2010 as well.

This new Conference League should be seen as an opportunity for Italian clubs to improve the status of Italian soccer and Jose Mourinho is very keen to take this opportunity. It is also, since it is new, the only European trophy he has left. In a way, the Special One can save the European season for Italian clubs but also achieve something personally to add to his trophy record which has been stuck since 2017 when he won the Europa League with Manchester United. Five years without winning a trophy is definitely too much for a coach like Mourinho and the Conference League is the perfect opportunity to bring back a trophy to his home.

And in an odd way, the trophy would be recognition for what has been a strong first season for Mourinho at Roma, even if the Serie A table hasn’t always reflected it. Roma have only scored 53 goals in Italy, the seventh highest tally in Serie a but their expected goal total is 61.85 and trails only Inter Milan. Defensively their numbers are more line with 36 goals conceded, the sixth best defensive record in Serie A and 35.76 xG conceded the fourth best defensive total. Still, for a team that’s advanced stats on both sides of the ball are in the top four, a likely fifth place finish might be a little harsh.

Regardless the fates are conspiring to make Roma’s Europa Conference League adventure a relevant one. It may not be where Mourinho, or Italian football on the whole wants to end up, but a trophy in the third tier of Europe’s club competitions is, at least, a stepping stone for the bigger things that both the club and the country envision the next few years to bring.