Is this Jose Mourinho’s best post-match interview yet? Roma boss drags young debutant Francesco D’Alessio in front of cameras as he shares his extraordinary story after Europa League victory

• Roma convincingly beat Swiss side Servette 4-0 in the Europa League last night
• ALVISE CAGNAZZO: Could Lukaku and Dybala leave Roma soon with Mourinho?
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Jose Mourinho has potentially given his best post-match interview yet after he told a heart warming story about 19-year-old Francesco D’Alessio who made his debut for Roma.

For all the talk of there being a dark cloud hanging over the Italian club who sit 13th in the Serie A, the legendary Chelsea manager certainly put smiles on the faces of fans last night after their 4-0 win over Servette in the Europa League.

Speaking to Roma TV after the game, the 60-year-old asked overjoyed youngster D’Alessio to come over to the camera before putting his arm round him and telling the interviewer ‘let me tell you a story’.

With a huge smile on his face, Mourinho then says: ‘In the summer before the kids went back to school, we were training and there were loads of kids outside Trigoria screaming because they wanted to come inside to watch the training.

‘He [D’Alessio] was with us and he said: “When I was 7, 8, 9, I was out there screaming because I wanted to come in. No coach opened the gates to let me in.”

Legendary manager Jose Mourinho puts his arm round Roma youngster Francesco D’Alessio before telling the extraordinary story

The 19-year-old said ‘receiving Mr. Mourinho’s praise is beautiful and incredible’

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‘I was very happy for the kids because I opened the gate and let them in. Now, he’s playing for Roma in the Europa League at the Olimpico in front of 50, 60,000 people with your family [here].’

D’Alessio, who came on as a substitute in the second half replacing Edoardo Bove in the midfield, then explained what it felt like to finally play for Roma.

‘Certainly receiving Mr. Mourinho’s praise is beautiful and incredible, for those who do this job and those who try to do it,’ said the youngster.

‘We all know that the coach is a staple and a football legend, having him here and working alongside him and hearing what he has to recommend is the best.

‘If I think back to that child who, when he was 7 years old, was outside Trigoria waiting for the players and going to watch the Primavera play, and today seeing me enter the Olimpico in front of 60,000 people and having my family sitting here.

‘I find it hard to believe it, It’s going to take me some time to sit down and talk to the people I love most.

‘Certainly I dedicate this moment to my family, in particular I would like to mention my brother Leonardo because we have had a difficult and quite particular year. He taught me not to give up and have the strength to carry on, he is certainly my cornerstone. 

‘Then there are obviously mum and dad who have been making sacrifices since I was little.

Romelu Lukaku congratulates his 19-year-old teammate after he made his debut for the club

‘Behind every player there is always a working family, a dad who asks for time off to leave work early, a mother who accompanies you despite having a thousand other things to do, they are the most important. We must always be grateful to them.’

Earlier this week it was suggested by Italian media that Mourinho was showing no desire to renew his expiring contract with Roma. 

This came off the back of Mourinho declaring Roma’s 4-1 defeat to Genoa on September 28 as being the ‘worst of my career’.

The loss led to fans chanting at Mourinho and his players after the match as they said ‘we want respect’, ‘we’ve had enough’ and ‘show us some b***s’.

After the match, Mourinho would only take questions from the pitchside reporter as he told DAZN: ‘I apologise to the studio, but I have no real desire to talk. I didn’t speak to the players. When I don’t talk to the players, then it means I can’t really discuss this in-depth and answer your questions either.’

He admitted there was a lack of team spirit after losing star players such as Chris Smalling through injury.

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