Jose Mourinho on Roma’s Europa League play-off: “I don’t think they’ll be happy to face us” | OneFootball

Roma boss Jose Mourinho has stated that the team they take on in the play-off of the Europa League will not be happy to face them.

Roma picked up as 3-0 win over Sheriff in the Italian capital and as a result, they confirmed their second-placed finish in the group stages. But a second placed finish in the Europa League doesn’t guarantee qualification into the knockout stages anymore and Roma will face a team that has been demoted from the Champions League in a play-off.

After the game, Mourinho was asked about the possibility of playing a Champions League club and he stated that their opponents won’t be happy to face them.

He told Sky (via TMW): “The bottom line is that it’s our fault we end up second. We only had one horrible match, which was the one in Prague, and it decided first and second place. Paying means playing two more games, for a squad that instead needs fewer games. We will face a Champions League team, but I don’t think they will be happy to face us.”

Roma had lost to Sparta Prague some weeks ago and were later held to a draw by Swiss side Servette, making sure that they couldn’t top the group and finished second. Now, they would have to bear the brunt of their mistakes and play two extra games.

Kaustubh Pandey | GIFN