'He's very nice when you win!' - Jose Mourinho taught dirty defensive tricks to Marash Kumbulla as Roma defender highlights iconic coach's 'flaw'

Kumbulla has detailed the impact Mourinho had on his development during their time together at Roma. The Albania defender said the Portuguese coach helped him understand the tactical and psychological side of defending in Serie A. Kumbulla admitted Mourinho encouraged defenders to embrace the game’s darker arts when required. The centre-back said learning when to commit tactical fouls or take bookings became an important part of his growth under the former Roma boss.

Kumbulla praised Mourinho for sharpening his defensive instincts during their time together at the Stadio Olimpico.

"Very nice when you win, tough if you don't," Kumbulla told GOAL. "He was the one who made me understand some things, explaining tactical details to me. Some 'smart' tricks that can be useful for a defender: committing a foul rather than being beaten, getting a yellow card when needed. All aspects that I learned from working with him."

Discussing what he described as Mourinho’s “flaw”, Kumbulla pointed to the coach’s honesty and visible frustration after losses.

"If we want to call it a 'flaw,' it's his honesty in dealing with others," he added. "When you lose, it's hard to be around him; if he's not in the right mood, you can tell by his face: the day after a defeat, he barely says goodbye. In those cases, it's best not to talk to him too much."

Despite Mourinho’s tougher side, Kumbulla also recalled the support he received after suffering a cruciate ligament injury that ruled him out of Roma’s Europa League final against Sevilla in 2023.

He said: "Shortly before the Europa League final against Sevilla, to cheer me up after the cruciate ligament tear that prevented me from playing that match, Mourinho explained the importance of my goal against Real Sociedad in the first leg of the quarterfinals: we won 2-0 at home, and it was a crucial result because we went into the return leg in Spain with a two-goal lead."

Kumbulla, currently on loan from Roma to Mallorca, will now look to rebuild his momentum after recovering from a serious muscle injury that hampered his progress. While there is an option to make the defender's move permanent, it remains to be seen whether the La Liga club will activate the clause, as he has made just eight league appearances this season after struggling for fitness due to injury problems.