Roma hit for six by Bodo/Glimt in Conference League as Mourinho takes the blame

Roma boss Jose Mourinho said he would take the blame for Roma’s embarrassing 6-1 defeat to Bodo/Glimt in the Europa Conference League on Thursday night.

The humiliating result in Norway came as a largely second-string Roma side crumbled, although they still sit second in Group C after three games.

This was the first time in his 1,008-game coaching career that Mourinho has seen one of his teams concede six goals and what is more is that Roma headed into this match as favorites.

Bodo/Glimt ran riot against Roma in Norway in a Conference League meeting. | PHOTO: Courtesy |

Speaking after the match, Mourinho said he expected more from his players, but told reporters they now knew why he usually selected the same group for games, rather than being a coach who rotates his squad.

On the night when his former team Tottenham also lost in the competition – losing 1-0 to Vittese, Mourinho was left to accept responsibility for his Serie A outfit’s embarrassing away trip.

“I decided to play with this team. The responsibility is mine,” he said. “Obviously I had done it with a good, double intention. On the one hand, giving an opportunity to people who work a lot and don’t play a lot. On the other hand, considering our squad and all the games we have to play, I let people who play practically always have a rest.

“Then, we lost against a team who have more qualities than us. It’s simple. The main Bodo team is better than ours who started the game.

“If I could always play with the same men, I would. I believe that doing so is a great risk, however. In a group-stage game, with six games and six points already acquired and two more games to play in Rome, I decided to make these changes.”

Roma boss Jose Mourinho was not a happy man on Thursday night after his side lost 6-1 to Norway side Bodo/Glimt in the Conference League. | PHOTO: Courtesy |

“I knew about the limitations of some of our players, it’s nothing new, but obviously I expected a better response. But as the decision is mine, so is the responsibility.”

Bodo/Glimt lead the way in the Norwegian Elitserien, and Mourinho saw his team go into half-time trailing 2-1, with a flurry of second-half goals showing the Portuguese the limitations of his fringe players.

Mourinho added: “I had never hidden it, I knew that the team had many limits. The good thing is that now at least none of you will ask me why I always play the same players.”

Mourinho, who is a two-time Champions League winner said Roma would face pace-setters Napoli in Serie A on Sunday “with the weight of a defeat that I would define as historic”.

Roma travels back to Rome in preparation for a tough Serie A fixture on Sunday when they host Serie A early leaders and unbeaten Napoli, who enjoyed a good Thursday night coming out victorious 3-0 against Legia Warszawa in the Europa League.