Jose Mourinho has hit out at Juventus’ latest Serie A punishment with his Roma side now facing more pressure in the Europa League final. The 60-year-old has suggested he would have prepared for games differently had he known the points deduction was incoming with the Giallorossi now looking to be out of the race for the top four domestically following a 2-2 draw with Salernitana.
Juventus were originally hit with a 15-point deduction for alleged financial mismanagement earlier in the season however it was overturned on appeal. Yet now they have received another 10-point penalty with just two games left to play in the campaign with some, including Mourinho, left annoyed by the decision.
Roma currently sit sixth in the Serie A after a dire run of form domestically which has seen them pick up just four points in their last six games. It is now highly unlikely the club will make it into the Champions League places via Serie A, putting extra pressure on them to beat Sevilla in the Europa League final if Mourinho’s men are to be in Europe’s premier competition next season.
Mourinho made his disdain for the lateness of the Serie A decision clear after the 2-2 draw with Salernitana suggesting he would have approached the proceeding league games differently rather than focus solely on the Europa League. He highlighted his sympathy for Juventus and their manager Max Allegri who have little time to react to the decision.
“It's a joke to know this with two games to play,” he said. “For us, for everyone, even for Juve: it wasn't easy for them, points won inside the field who were then removed two days from the end.
“If they had told me before Monza or the match against Bologna, the approach would have been different. With what we had we decided to put everything into the cup and it was done now instead...
“I'm sorry for everyone, even for Max Allegri, for professional colleagues like me who had to deal with this situation. It involved everyone. I think it compromised the regularity of the championship, but I don't want to talk anymore about this thing.”
Monday’s draw means Roma sit four points behind fourth-placed AC Milan with just two games to go, leaving Stefano Pioli’s side needing just one win to secure qualification. The Europa League final now has even more riding on it and it will not be easy given Sevilla have made themselves the kings of the competition in recent years.
Roma face Europa Conference League finalists Fiorentina next weekend in their last game ahead of the Europa League final a week on Wednesday. Mourinho will be even more desperate to come out on top as he chances his second European trophy in as many seasons and just as importantly Champions League qualification.
