Roma suffers a blow in the Europa League as they fall to a 2-0 loss against Slavia Prague. This defeat has left their progression to the knockout stages in jeopardy after a lackluster performance in Prague.
Amid pre-derby controversy in the capital, manager Jose Mourinho indirectly echoed Sarri’s claim that the encounter with Slavia was “like a friendly.” Mourinho’s comments emphasized the importance of taking the competition seriously, stating that his team’s lack of commitment was a betrayal.
In a post-match interview, Mourinho expressed his disappointment with his team’s lack of professionalism, saying, “From an individual point of view, very few players had the right and correct attitude of professionalism as I like it, many did not have the correct attitude for a serious match with clear objectives.”
Despite Mourinho’s criticism, La Gazzetta dello Sport disagreed with his assessment of the players’ performances. According to the publication, only goalkeeper Svilar deserved a rating of 6, with Bove meriting a slightly lower score due to his tendency to give away fouls.
The lackluster performance was further reflected in the statistics, with Slavia Prague registering 18 shots compared to Roma’s 5. In addition, the Expected Goals statistic, which rarely aligns exactly with the final score, painted an unequivocal statistical picture of Roma’s shortcomings in the match.
This disappointing result puts pressure on Roma as they seek to avoid elimination and secure their spot in the knockout stages of the Europa League. Jose Mourinho and his team will need to regroup and deliver strong performances in their upcoming fixtures to rectify the situation.