Why Roma fans still revere Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho ahead of his emotional Champions League return

The Giallorossi will host Real Madrid and their former coach on Wednesday at the Stadio Olimpico If there's one place where Jose Mourinho is still considered the "Special One," that's in Rome. AS Roma fans adore Jose Mourinho, viewing him as one of the best managers the club has had in recent years. And that affection goes far beyond the results he delivered during his two-and-a-half-year tenure, which began in the summer of 2021 and lasted until January 2024 when he was sacked and replaced by Daniele De Rossi. The last time Mourinho took his place on the bench at the Stadio Olimpico was in January 2024, when Roma drew with Atalanta, then managed by Gian Piero Gasperini, who is now in charge of the Giallorossi.

Just a few days later, Mourinho was sacked following an away defeat to Milan. The comeback is set to be an emotional one between the fans and the Portuguese coach, who said before the game that they won't be "enemies, but rivals". AS Roma fans had two big shocks when it comes to Mourinho. The first one was in the early afternoon of a warm day in May 2021, when AS Roma announced Jose Mourinho as the new head coach of the team in a surprise move that, for once, had caught the media