Jose Mourinho threw his runners-up medal into the crowd and waved emotionally at Roma’s fans after narrowly falling short of Europa League glory on Wednesday night.
Mourinho, who boasted a perfect European final record ahead of Roma’s trip to Budapest, watched his side suffer a 4-1 defeat on penalties against Sevilla, which brought the Spanish outfit their seventh Europa League title in just 17 years.
Paulo Dybala opened the scoring for Mourinho’s side shortly after the hour mark, but Gianluca Mancini’s own goal in the 55th minute levelled proceedings and contributed to a 1-1 draw at full time.
The tense affair – which saw referee Anthony Taylor dish out 14 yellow cards in total – went to penalties after extra time and ultimately went in favour of Sevilla during the shootout.
Keen not to wear his runners-up medal for long, Mourinho tossed the honour into the crowd towards a Roma fan and swiftly headed down the tunnel.
Jose Mourinho threw his runners-up medal into the crowd after losing the Europa League final
The Portuguese boss chucked it towards a Roma supporter before trudging down the tunnel
The Portuguese manager’s future at Roma has been speculated for much of this season, with Mourinho attracting interest from a host of European clubs and outfits in Saudi Arabia.
Speculation of his exit will only grow after the Europa League final on Wednesday, as the veteran boss appeared to wave sentimentally at Roma’s supporters before retiring to the dressing room.
Pundits Gaizka Mendieta and Don Hutchinson reacted to Mourinho’s medal toss after the final.
Mendieta told BT Sport: ‘He gave the medal to his fan another way of saying “I don’t want a silver medal”. It’s nice because the fan will remember it forever.’
Erik Lamela lifts Sevilla’s seventh Europa League in 17 years after winning 4-1 on penalties
The manager’s future at Roma has been speculated all season with several clubs interested in his services – including a host of elite European sides and wealthy outfits from Saudi Arabia
Meanwhile, Hutchinson hinted that the gesture could spell the end for Mourinho at Roma.
He said: ‘It’s nice that he gave it to the kid but I don’t know what’s going to happen.
‘I was trying to read into any body language, I saw him on the pitch in a huddle with his team it looked positive from what you’re trying to read.
‘Then he gave the kid the medal. He’ll need time to reflect but I think looked positive it’s just whether he fancies a new project.’
Mourinho, who was booked in the closing minutes of extra time, hit out at Taylor’s performance in the final and called his future at Roma into question.
Mourinho was furious at match referee Anthony Taylor, describing his performance as ‘bull****’
‘I want to stay at Roma,’ Mourinho said according to Sky Sport Italia. ‘But my players deserve more and I also deserve more.
‘I’m a little tired of being a coach, a man of communication, the face of the club that says we were robbed after every game. I’m tired of acting on every front.
‘Next year we won’t be playing the Champions League and that’s a good thing because we’re not made for it.
‘And let’s hope that Taylor, only officiates games in the Champions League and does the same bull**** there that he did tonight, and not in the Europa League.’
