MILAN - José Mourinho is less than satisfied with his team's performance at home to Roma and the Inter coach explained why on Sky Sport Italia after the final whistle.
"We saw a match that was close to awful, and if it was like this, it means that all three teams were awful," said Mourinho. "Three teams? Yes. One wanted to win but didn't do enough to succeed. Another didn't want to win and showed it didn't want to, and the third team was the one that played a game it was easy to whistle in, and the referee whistled forty or fifty times. The result isn't a problem, it's normal between two great teams. A draw at home isn't a drama."
Mourinho rested several players against the Giallorossi, drawing accusations of not fielding an offensive lineup. He replied: "I played an attacking Inter, with Milito, Eto'o, Stankovic, Motta and Muntari, and I think that this is an attacking team." Mario Balotelli came on for Vieira at the start of the second half, prompting questions about the Frenchman's efficiency. "He was in a team that didn't play well," responded Mourinho. "He did what he could, he didn't even have a direct rival. If the team had looked for him, he would have replied. The team didn't look for him, so it's not his fault.
"My opinion of Mario's performance? Close to zero. I didn't like his attitude, he didn't make much movement, he worked little for the team, which was in difficulty. Sneijder was tired and this is why he wasn't a starter. Stankovic was injured and I didn't have any more changes available. Milito was at the limit of his form, Balotelli had played forty-five minutes in Kiev last Wednesday and he could have done a lot more today."
Not even his 150-match unbeaten home run in domestic leagues and cups was enough to change Mourinho's mood. "No, my record is no consolation for me. It had already been a record for a while, 150, 151 or 149 games without defeat doesn't make any difference."
So what did Mourinho like about Inter-Roma? "The point earned against a quality team. I didn't think we were going to see a good match by us, so I played Vieira and Muntari who hadn't wasted energy in Kiev. With Sneijder we did enough to win but I repeat, no one deserved to win an awful match like this.
"The team improved with Wesley. Roma had a another small chance from a counter-attack, but all things considered it was a poor game. The referee should have realised this too by giving only three minutes of stoppage time per half.
"Okay, Roma played a day after us, but in a competition that is completely different to the Champions League. They didn't travel like we did and they didn't live a moment that I say is almost historic because Inter risked going out of the Champions League. But I repeat, the result is quite normal between two great teams and if anyone goes home happy after this match it means he doesn't have much ambition at all."
Returning to Mario Balotelli, Mourinho concluded: "I have adopted every possible strategy to get him enjoying himself on the pitch. I have been close to him, then I kept my distance. I have tried all of them. Mario is like this now: he can come on the pitch one time and give everything, he can come on another time without giving anything. The press can help me deal with this situation. Mario is always polite, he listens to what I tell him, but some times I don't know if he's one hundred percent agrees with me. He has improved but with the talent he has, he could really do a lot better."
