Tough times for Mourinho: Home clash with Udinese is a big challenge - and the injuries are taking their toll

The match scheduled for Sunday at the Olimpico against Udinese, the relationship with Dan and Ryan Friedkin and bad news about Chris Smalling: these are the topics Jose Mourinho focused on during the press conference on the eve of the match against Udinese.

The health status of former Manchester United defender Smalling is still causing a lot of concern for Roma. The Englishman is still dealing with tendinopathy that has prevented him from playing an official match for almost three months.

"In Smalling's case, the injury exists. Even among normal people, some can endure pain better. Smalling does not know how to play while suffering; he pulls back a little bit. His injury is difficult. It's frustrating because he's in the position where we need him the most. We must be patient, and I can't push myself too hard, nor do I have to do it with him. Let's see when he comes back. He hasn't spent a minute outside the infirmary in the last week. He doesn't even know if it's cold outside because he hasn't been there for a while. I don't expect Smalling in the next two or three weeks."

The Special One also emphasized a small group of players who, since the beginning of the season, have dealt with various physical problems that have kept them sidelined more than necessary.

"Injured players have missed a total of 52 matches? This number mainly concerns 2/3/4 maximum players. Others haven't missed a single match. These players have a clean clinical history, with occasional injuries such as Cristante, Mancini, Rui Patricio, Bove, for example. This type of player isn't in the group of 52, which basically includes Smalling, Renato, Pellegrini, occasionally Dybala, and Spinazzola. That's the group, and we know it. The players are professionals and do everything to be well. We coaches and staff work a lot together. Sometimes people think training lasts for two and a half hours, but we work on many variables and believe we're doing an excellent job."

There was also an inevitable question about the possible contract renewal - the current one expires in June 2024 - and the relationship with the club's ownership.

"With the team, you work every minute, and as with the family, if you don't have empathy with them, you're in trouble. They are the ones closest to me. This is what I call functional empathy: creating empathy by working. It's different with the ownership because I'm here, and the ownership is there. I'm paid not to create problems for the ownership; they have to trust my work. The other day they asked me when was the last time I talked to them. If you ask me today, the last time I spoke to them was yesterday, but we didn't talk about the contract."

Regarding the "lack of 'protection'" from Roma that he had hinted at in recent days, Mou prefers not to dwell.

"I have many qualities and many flaws. I don't know if this is a quality or a flaw, but usually, people close to me know everything I think. I don't hold back words. I don't hold back criticisms or compliments. In my work, I'm an open book; everyone knows what I think when I'm happy or not."

The coach then went on to analyze Udinese's qualities, who will face his Roma tomorrow evening.

"We must be careful with their counterattacks because they have very fast people. If we lose the ball in a dangerous area, we are more vulnerable. Our team has improved in this aspect. We have more possession compared to before. Lorenzo Pellegrini is always an important player for us, but I'm looking at Udinese with the difficulties that you mentioned. Their start to the championship is a surprise because they have potential. If we play low and give them the ball, they hurt us. They are strong on set-pieces and have players who can shoot like Samardzic and Walace."

SERIE A - Matchday 13

Saturday

17.00: (5.10) Salernitana (3.60) Lazio (1.84)

20.00: (2.81) Atalanta (3.30) Napoli (2.75)

22.45: (2.19) Milan (3.35) Fiorentina (3.45)

Sunday

14.30: (2.90) Cagliari (3.35) Monza (2.65)

17.00: (2.85) Empoli (3.50) Sassuolo (2.60)

17.00: (2.60) Frosinone (3.30) Genoa (3.05)

Sunday

20.00: (1.68) Roma (3.80) Udinese (6.25)

22.45: (3.25) Juventus (3.35) Inter (2.45)

Monday

20.30: (2.78) Verona (3.00) Lecce (2.90)

22.45: (2.37) Bologna (3.20) Torino (3.30)

***odds are subject to change