Salvatore Foti, José Mourinho's assistant during his time at Roma, has reflected on their relationship ahead of tonight's Champions League clash between Roma and Real Madrid. Foti, who arrived alongside Mourinho in January and remained at his side throughout his years at the club and subsequent 15 months in Turkey, is now managing Acireale in the Eccellenza division. Speaking to La Repubblica, Foti described the bond as extraordinary. "Incredible," he said. "We felt inside something beautiful. There was a daily connection, an empathy, a unique alchemy."
Foti recalled the euphoria following Roma's Europa Conference League victory, when Mourinho took the wheel of the team bus and drove it himself around the training ground at Trigoria, before Nicolò Zaniolo borrowed his Vespa to ride wildly through the facility. The mood darkened after Roma's defeat in the Coppa Italia final against Seville the following year. Mourinho gathered the staff and squad in a circle and told them: "Nothing erases what you have done, the medals belong to them, but without some refereeing decisions you would have won this match." He added: "I'm not leaving, you and I are one thing." Foti observed: "We were a spectacle. But that day something broke."
Mourinho was sacked eight months later. Foti revealed the manager was called to the offices at 8 a.m. and informed staff and players of his dismissal at the training ground where he arrived daily at 9 a.m. for breakfast. "Many cried," Foti said. "But he deserved a different farewell. For him it was like leaving home—he often slept at Trigoria too." On their personal rapport, Foti added: "We would all have thrown ourselves into fire for him. During a match there was a spat between me and Matic: it was José who made us reconcile immediately. He always appreciated my straightforwardness."
Testo Originale / Source Text
“Salvatore Foti oggi allena l'Acireale in Eccellenza ed è squalificato per 7 giornate, allora era il vice di José Mourinho, che stasera torna a Roma da avversario con il Real Madrid. Arrivò a gennaio e al suo fianco è rimasto per tutti i suoi anni a Roma, oltre ai 15 mesi in Turchia. Intervistato da…”
Read the full article in Italian at Forza Roma.
