Irate Mourinho demands respect for Inter

Enraged Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho hit out at AS Roma president Rosella Sensi on Tuesday ahead of the pair’s meeting in the Coppa Italia final on Wednesday, demanding respect for his team.

For the fifth time in six years Inter and Roma will clash at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico for the Italian Cup but Mourinho was more concerned with things Sensi said at the weekend.

Inter and Roma are also neck and neck in the Serie A title race with the champions Inter leading the pretenders by two points with two matches to go.

But on Sunday, Roma’s bitter city rivals Lazio sparked a major controversy when they played Inter and put in an abject performance in a 2-0 defeat while their fans celebrated – more concerned with stopping Roma winning the title than their own team escaping relegation.

And Sensi provoked Mourinho’s ire by saying Inter should be ashamed for having won that way.

“Only thieves should be ashamed and we’ve got to this point playing two finals (also the Champions League) and for the title not because we were born in a golden cradle but thanks to our hard work,” fumed Mourinho.

“We don’t deserve respect, we demand it. That lady (Sensi) can be a president, a doctor or born in a golden cradle but she has to respect us.”

Mourinho was also angered by the fact that this match was to be played in Roma’s home stadium rather than a neutral venue, although he paid tribute to Roma’s powers of recovery following a disastrous start to the season.

Back in November, Roma trailed Inter by 14 points before eventually catching and passing the champions last month.

“Two years ago Roma took the title to the wire against Inter, last year wasn’t so good but I’ve always recognised the potential in their team,” he said.

“And with a squad like theirs they could not continue the way they started the season, it seemed logical to me that they would finish in the top four.

“Now they have the good fortune to be playing the Cup final at home, something which happens nowhere else in the world.

“I don’t know any other cup competitions where one team plays the final at home. It would be different if we were playing in Naples, Florence or Bologna.”

Inter have four more matches to play this season and if they win them all they will have achieved a remarkable treble of Champions League, Serie A and the Coppa Italia.

But Mourinho said even if they win nothing he will still be satisfied, while also taking a dig at the anti-Inter brigade that hopes they fail – Mourinho has made no secret of his belief this season that the authorities are doing everything in their powers to prevent Inter winning.

“No trophies would not be a drama if you fight to the end in all competitions.

“It’s something else if you finish fifth, 30 points back from the champions. “If we win all three it will be historic, if we win one or two it will be positive but there would be no shame in winning none.

“We’re playing every three days while others are already on holiday and the ironic thing about destiny is that Italian football wants us to lift the Champions League so we can keep a fourth team in the competition.”

Mourinho also dismissed the significance of the game being played on May 5.

That was the date eight years ago when Inter lost the scudetto on the last day of the season in the same stadium and has become indicative of Inter failures over the years.

“The only thing that May 5 means to me is that it’s the day Napoleon died. I wasn’t born an Inter fan and I haven’t followed their history, for me that’s all May 5 is.”