Antonio Cassano has launched a scathing attack on José Mourinho on the eve of Roma's Champions League fixture against Real Madrid at the Stadio Olimpico, praising Gian Piero Gasperini's work with the Giallorossi while dismissing the Real Madrid manager's tactical approach.
Speaking to Diario AS, Cassano—who played for both Roma and Real Madrid—contrasted the two sides' philosophies and their managers. "Roma has a fantastic coach, while Real Madrid does not, because Mourinho doesn't like to play football; he only likes to talk," Cassano said. "It's incredible that Real Madrid, the strongest team in history, hired Mourinho. I don't understand how Florentino Pérez could have chosen him. It drives me crazy. If we swapped coaches and Gasperini led Real Madrid, they would win 10-0."
Cassano acknowledged Real Madrid's superior squad strength, predicting they held an 80% chance of victory despite Gasperini's quality and Mourinho's limitations. "Roma play very well, but Real Madrid are stronger," he said. He criticised Mourinho's legacy and methods, arguing that "Mourinho is no longer able to coach. He was very lucky because none of his teams played well. His football philosophy became obsolete ten years ago. His career left no legacy, only arguments with everyone." When pressed on Mourinho's trophy haul, Cassano dismissed the relevance of silverware: "Gasperini has won only one Europa League, but titles don't interest me; what matters is what I see on the pitch." He added that Mourinho's greatest asset was having Jorge Mendes as his agent, "who always finds him good clubs." Cassano urged Real Madrid to learn from Barcelona and Hansi Flick's approach, where "everyone attacks," rather than sitting deep to rely on stars like Mbappé, Bellingham and Vinícius.
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Antonio Cassano has launched a scathing attack on José Mourinho ahead of Roma's Champions League fixture against Real Madrid, praising Gian Piero Gasperini's work with the Giallorossi while dismissing the Real Madrid manager's tactical philosophy. Speaking to Diario AS, the former striker—who played for both clubs—contrasted the two sides' approaches. "Roma has a fantastic coach, while Real Madrid does not, because Mourinho doesn't like to play football; he only likes to talk," Cassano said. "It's incredible that Real Madrid, the strongest team in history, hired Mourinho. I don't understand how Florentino Pérez could have chosen him."
Cassano argued that Mourinho's managerial legacy consists only of conflict and that his football philosophy has become obsolete. "Mourinho is no longer capable of managing," he stated. "He was very fortunate because none of his teams played well. His career has left no legacy, only arguments with everyone." He dismissed the significance of Mourinho's trophy record and credited Jorge Mendes as Mourinho's greatest asset for securing him prominent clubs. Cassano acknowledged Real Madrid's superior squad strength, predicting an 80 percent chance of victory despite Gasperini's quality. He urged Real Madrid to adopt Barcelona and Hansi Flick's attacking approach rather than sitting deep to rely on stars like Mbappé, Bellingham and Vinícius. "Roma plays very well, but Real Madrid is stronger," Cassano concluded, while emphasizing that what matters is "what I see on the pitch," not titles alone.
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Testo Originale / Source Text
“Cassano non è mai banale e, anche alla vigilia di Roma-Real Madrid, trova il modo di far parlare di sé. L'ex attaccante, che ha vestito entrambe le maglie, ha rilasciato un'intervista a Diario AS, nella quale ha elogiato Gasperini, analizzato la sfida di stasera e riservato parole durissime a…”
Read the full article in Italian at Forza Roma.
