Despite winning in grand style, Mourinho maintained a clear mind in his post-match comments especially in the press conference following the resounding 3-0 win. The Portuguese technician stressed the importance of humility and respect for the opponent.
“It’s always the same story,” said the Special One. “When you win, the coach is good, when you lose, he is not.”
“We changed the structure in defense and attack. I joked with Pinto before the game: ‘If we win we are all legends’. It came out well. We did it while being aware of the qualities of our opponent who has a precise, identifiable way of playing.”
“We had the humility to think about this match in a tactical way. We scored in the first minute and then everything went well for the team. For me it’s not possible to play a great game without a great referee. Great match from Irrati.”
He continued, “Lazio is Lazio, a very strong team. In the second half they played with pride and they showed the mentality that they’re known for.”
“Those who watched the game as neutrals enjoyed a great game on and off the pitch. Now I hope that the Romanisti will go home happy.”
On Zalewski’s opportunity to play from the start, Mourinho said, “He’s a 19-year-old kid. Sure, he struggled against Udinese, but it’s this city’s media that almost killed him because of one game.”
“If I had been a shitty, unexperienced coach I would have been buried by you guys. In the meantime, the kid did very well and you all stayed quiet and left.”
On the keys to the game, Mourinho replied, “Today the team exceeded its limits. We are a team that struggles to be focused throughout the game. Today, however, we have always been present, even at half-time I prepared them mentally in case Lazio were to score. Today we had emotional control.”
He concluded, “Winning the derby 3-0 is nice and pleases me a lot. I’m very happy, but I don’t like this thing about Roma and Lazio where the team that wins is in heaven and the team that loses is in hell.”
