Antonio Cassano has intensified anticipation for Roma's Champions League fixture against Real Madrid by delivering a scathing assessment of José Mourinho's managerial capabilities. Speaking to Diario AS, the former striker—who played for both clubs during his career—praised Gian Piero Gasperini's work while reserving harsh criticism for Mourinho's approach. Cassano said: "Roma and Real Madrid are two very different teams. First of all, Roma has a fantastic coach, while Real Madrid does not, because Mourinho does not like to play football; he only likes to talk. It is incredible that Real Madrid, the strongest team in history, has hired Mourinho. I do not understand how Florentino Pérez could have chosen him. It drives me crazy."
Cassano argued that Mourinho's tactical philosophy has become outdated and that his managerial legacy consists only of conflict. "Mourinho is no longer capable of managing," Cassano stated. "It is true that Gasperini has won only a Europa League, but titles do not interest me; what matters is what I see on the pitch. Mourinho was very fortunate because none of his teams played well. His football philosophy became obsolete ten years ago. His career has left no legacy, only arguments with everyone. He likes to talk about other things, but not football. One of his greatest merits is having Jorge Mendes as an agent, who always finds him good clubs."
When asked about the upcoming match, Cassano predicted a difficult night for Roma despite backing Gasperini's methods. "Roma plays very well, but Real Madrid is stronger," he said. "I think it will be a difficult match, but Real Madrid has an 80 per cent chance of winning, even though Gasperini is very good and Mourinho is not. They should not stay closed in defence waiting for Mbappé, Bellingham or Vinicius to score and win matches. They should learn from Barcelona and Flick, who has created a great team with strong personality in which everyone attacks. Real Madrid does things in the opposite way."
Cassano also reflected on his Roma career, noting Francesco Totti as one of his greatest idols and praising Ronaldo Nazário as the finest centre-forward he ever witnessed, describing him as "absolutely fabulous."
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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
“Antonio Cassano accende ulteriormente l’attesa per Roma-Real Madrid. L’ex attaccante, che in carriera ha vestito entrambe le maglie, ha parlato a Diario AS della sfida dell’Olimpico, esaltando il lavoro di Gian Piero Gasperini e riservando invece parole durissime a José Mourinho. Cassano ha parlato…”
Read the full article in Italian at GialloRossi.net.
