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| AS Roma coach Josè Mourinho during a press conference at Eden Arena on November 08, 2023 in Prague, Czech Republic. |
Jose Mourinho has slammed his players following Roma's 2-0 defeat by Slavia Prague in the UEFA Europa League, claiming he "did not like anything" about his team's performance.
Having beaten the Czech side in their previous Europa League outing, the Serie A outfit suffered their first defeat in the tournament this season.
The result means that the Czech side top Group G, ahead of Roma on goal difference.
After a goalless first half, Vaclav Jurecka fired in the first from inside the penalty area, before Lukas Masopust struck a low shot from distance into the bottom-left corner.
Mourinho issued a scathing assessment of how his side played, with the 2022 Europa League finalists failing having had only five attempts on goal during the match compared to Slavia's 18.
“Everything was missing," the Portuguese coach told Sky Sports Italia, per TuttomercatoWeb.
"I don’t want to talk too much and no one should talk. A very deserved result for them in the positive sense, very deserved for us in the negative sense. I didn’t like anything.
"I’ve already spoken to the players in the locker room which is something I don’t ever do. What I said will remain between us, I want to be honest and fair with the Slavia boys who deserved it.”
It came after Roma staged a narrow late comeback to defeat Lecce on Sunday, scoring twice in injury time.
They've endured a mixed start to their domestic campaign, having won five and lost four of their opening 11 matches to go seventh in the table.
And while he lumped praise on the Slavia Prague team for the win, he singled out Edoardo Bove as a top performer during the match.
“I expected these difficulties, we prepared the match with the limitations we have by leaving Bryan Cristante and Paulo Dybala out.
"What I liked is Bove, a 20-year-old boy and only one can’t make you win the match. We all deserve defeat except him."
Roma are five points ahead of third-placed Servette with two group games left to play.
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