‘Our fans are great but my friends are unimpressed’: Jose Mourinho tells Roma’s ultras to stop chanting about former Inter Milan player Dejan Stankovic’s Serbian legacy during their 3-0 win over Sampdoria.
- Jose Mourinho has asked Roma fans to stop racist chants towards Dejan Stankovic
- Mourinho stepped in to protect Stankovic, who managed him at Inter Milan
- After the match, Sampdoria coach Stankovic thanked Mourinho for his actions
Roma coach Jose Mourinho intervened following racist chants from his team’s fans towards Sampdoria coach Dejan Stankovic during their 3-0 win.
Stankovic was frustrated at Sampdoria being reduced to ten players after Jason Murillo was sent off when the teams were tied 0-0.
Some Roma fans responded by pointing out Stankovic’s Serbian heritage.
However, Mourinho was quick to tell Roma’s ultras to stop the cheers as he protected Stankovic, who played under him at Inter Milan.
Stankovic was part of the Inter team that won the Champions League, Serie A and Coppa Italia under Mourinho in the 2009-10 season.
Jose Mourinho has asked the Roma ultras to stop their racist chanting towards Dejan Stankovic
Sampdoria coach Stankovic thanked Mourinho after the match for his intervention
Commenting on his actions Mourinho said: I did it for a great man and a great friend. He has children and a family. Our fans are great but my friends aren’t impressed.
After the match Stankovic said Football Italy: “Thank Jose, because I didn’t even notice, but for the cheers, I’m proud of who I am. I am proud to be a gypsy.
Roma won 3-0, with Georginho Wijnaldum opening the scoring in the 57th minute, before Paulo Dybala scored a penalty and Stephan El Shaarawy added another goal in stoppage time.
Stankovic played under Mourinho at Inter and won the treble in the 2009-10 season.
After the match, Roma ranks fifth in the Italian League, level on points with fourth-placed Inter, as it aspires to qualify for the Champions League.
Meanwhile, Sampdoria are in 19th place and are facing a great battle to avoid relegation.
Stanković spent much of his footballing career at Inter, where he represented the club between 2004 and 2013. Prior to that he played for Red Star Belgrade and Lazio.
After a stint as an assistant coach for Udinese, Stanković rose to manage Red Star Belgrade, with whom he won three league titles and two Serbian cups.
Stankovic was appointed manager of Sampdoria in October last year.
