Roma head coach Paulo Fonseca has backed successor Jose Mourinho to do well with the Giallorossi.
On Tuesday, Roma announced that Fonseca would leave the club at the end of the season and hours later confirmed Mourinho would take over ahead of the 2021-22 campaign.
Mourinho, who was sacked as Tottenham boss last month, will take charge of Roma on a three-year contract.
What was said?
“For me, professionalism is something I believe is very important," Fonseca said at his press conference ahead of Thursday's Europa League clash against Manchester United. “I am OK, I am focused on things here just like I was the very first day I got here.
“I am motivated. I want to do the best I can for Roma for as long as I am still here. Mourinho is a great coach, everyone knows that, and I am sure he will do a great job here.”
Next Match
Mourinho's task at Roma
Mourinho will return to Italy for the first time since his spell at Inter, and he faces a major task to achieve anything close to the success he enjoyed with the Nerazzurri.
Roma currently sit seventh in Serie A and appear likely to miss out on European football next season.
The club do have a small glimmer of hope of Champions League qualification, but they need a miraculous turnaround against United in their Europa League semi-final second leg having lost the first match 6-2.
“Clearly it is not easy to beat Manchester United by four goals – but I have seen a lot of things happen in football," Fonseca said. “Nothing is impossible. I believe that anything can happen. I’m expecting a tough game. Going up against Manchester United is always very difficult.
“They have a good first-leg advantage but we want to win the game. We want to fight until the very end.”
