Roma wins first Conference League title under Mourinho

Based on its social status and passionate fan base, José Mourinho said that Roma is a ‘giant club’ with no trophy.

The team claimed their first ever European title in six decades. This also marks Mourinho’s first trophy as a coach.

With exceptional performances from Nicolò Zaniolo in the first half and goalkeeper Rui Patrício in the second half, Roma were able to beat Feyenoord 1-0 in the inaugural edition of the Europa Conference League.

Roma last claimed the trophy in 1961 when it won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

50,000 supporters watched the game on big screens at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, in addition to the few thousand Roma fans inside the modest National Arena in Tirana.

Before the final, there were violent riots in Tirana between fans of both sides, and hundreds were deported back to Italy.

On Tuesday in the city, two groups of Dutch and Italian supporters battled with police, hurting 19 cops and five Albanian civilians. A knife attack on a police officer resulted in one officer being hurt, according to authorities. Three Italians and two Dutch fans were also injured during the match.

After an apparent incident on the side where Dutch fans were sitting, flares were thrown onto the field and stewards removed a few fans before kickoff.

After kickoff, the situation appeared to be under control.

Zaniolo’s goal was set up by a ball over the top from Gianluca Mancini, which he handled with his chest. With the tip of his boot, Zaniolo poked the ball past onrushing goalkeeper Justin Bijlow.

Zaniolo has been dubbed “Italy’s most talented young player” on numerous occasions. However, he has been hampered by two significant knee injuries, one of which kept him out for the whole 2017 season and prevented him from participating in the Azzurri’s European Championship triumph.

Zaniolo became the youngest Italian player to score in a European final at 22 years and 327 days, surpassing Alessandro Del Piero’s goal for Juventus in a loss to Borussia Dortmund in the 1997 Champions League final at 22 years and 200 days.

Zaniolo, an attacking midfielder, scored five goals and added three assists in ten Conference League appearances.

Mourinho motioned for his ecstatic bench players to rest and settle down after Zaniolo’s score, considering how much time was left.

After the break, Feyenoord came out firing, hitting the post twice, the first with a close-range effort from Gernot Trauner and the second with a long-range bomb from Tyrell Malacia that Rui Patricio palmed against the upright.

Mourinho won the 2003 UEFA Cup and 2004 Champions League finals with Porto, the 2010 Champions League final with Inter Milan, and the 2017 Europa League final with Manchester United, extending his perfect record in European finals to five trophies in five matches.

Roma had lost both of its previous continental finals, falling to Inter Milan in the 1991 UEFA Cup final and losing a penalty shootout to Liverpool in the 1984 European Cup final at home.