No Roman holiday this for Jose

Mourinho is beginning to feel the pressure after a promising start on his return to Italy. Can the 58-year-old manager, once considered the world’s best, rehabilitate a reputation damaged by six largely barren years? Or will his time with Roma confirm the suspicion that the game has passed him by?

When Jose Mourinho arrived in Rome in the summer — one of 12 coaching changes in Italy’s top flight, leading a manager merry-go-round — Roma’s trophy-starved supporters reacted to the shock appointment as though they had signed a superstar striker.

It did not matter that the Portuguese’s stock had fallen after underwhelming spells at Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. Memories of Mourinho’s historic treble at Inter Milan over a decade ago meant he was still widely respected in Italy.

And things began promisingly. Mourinho led Roma to six wins from his six opening matches in all competitions, and it seemed like Italy would be the perfect place to revitalise his coaching career and restore his fading aura.