Jose Mourinho is looking to shut up his critics according to his former goalkeeper Julio Cesar, with the Roma manager on the verge of becoming the first coach to win all three European trophies.
Having already won the Champions League at both Inter and Porto, plus a Europa League title at Manchester United, the outspoken coach now has a chance to win the inaugural UEFA Conference League.
In tears after beating Leicester in the semi-final, the former Chelsea and Tottenham manager will face Feyenoord in the showpiece event in Albania.
What did Julio Cesar say about Jose Mourinho?
"We need to respect the data and it shows that he is one of the best coaches in the world still," Cesar exclusively told GOAL in an interview arranged by Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
"In the last years, people that follow football have not had a Mourinho who has lived up to their expectations after what he did in the past.
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"When you don’t see Mourinho win a trophy at the end of the season, the fans and people in football say negative things about him, but this season he has the opportunity to shut these people up when they talk about him.
"Jose Mourinho cries after the semi-final because he knows how important it is for the fans. After 30 years, the fans of Rome can enjoy the moment to enjoy seeing their team in a European final.
"This is a manager who won the Champions League twice with Inter and Porto and the Europa League with Manchester United.
"I know him very well and I know how much he will want to win the final. It would be amazing for him to be the only coach to have won the three European competitions. He can make history in European football."
What is Cesar's history with Mourinho?
The former Brazil No 1 played under Mourinho at Inter, where the club became the first and only Italian side to win all three trophies in a single season.
That season solidified every player and coach into the folklore of the Nerazzurri - even today, they still have a WhatsApp group entitled 'the triple' where they continue to share messages, and Cesar detailed his experience of playing for Mourinho.
"When you train under Mourinho, he takes a normal player and can make him believe he is the best player in the world," Cesar said. "He is a magician.
"When I was his goalkeeper, I thought I was the best goalkeeper in the world and I did become the best. He takes a player and makes him stronger than he is. That’s Mourinho’s approach to players. He is amazing and he goes inside your mind.
"I have many, many memories about him. I remember one day, I wasn’t playing very well. For him to push me, to make me believe I am one of the best goalkeepers, he said you can be one of the best in the world but today you played like you are from Serie C… the third division.
"He has this way of pushing you because he believes in you, making you angry a little bit but this is his way. He also used to laugh and joke with us when we were relaxing and we have our WhatsApp group to stay in contact.
"When Mourinho goes to Milan and faces the Inter fans, him for the fans is maybe not a God but a symbol and it could be the same in Rome. Achieving this moment for the fans makes you an important figure in the club’s history."
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Enterprise Rent-A-Car“Julio Cesar and Lloyd Griffith featured in Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s‘ Mission Keeper’ series ahead of the 2021/22 UEFA Europa League final. You can view episode three in full here.”
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