Jose Mourinho has provided an intriguing explanation for Roma's underwhelming away form, attributing it to his players' fondness for home cooking.
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Roma with just one road win this termMourinho says players need to give moreCites love of home-cooking as a factorWHAT HAPPENED?
The Roma boss offered a forthright and typically idiosyncratic assessment of his side's away form this season which has seen them register just one win. Ahead of Sunday's game against Udinese, Mourinho told reporters he expected more from his players.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT JOSE MOURINHO SAID
"I'm not sure the team has given less than it could give," said Mourinho, "But we have to give more. With these fans and this club you must not put limits on yourself, you must always give more. We have had bad results and some bad performances, yes, but lack of professionalism and respect for people never. We have to give something more, though.
"At home we usually manage to do that, even in the last minutes, but away from home we lack some mentality. I've always liked the antagonism of playing away from home better. There are people here who like the comfort of home more: when they go out they miss their mom, dad, grandma baking."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Home form has so far been the only thing keeping Roma in the hunt as they try to cling on to the coat tails of those chasing the European spots in Serie A. Roma fans will be hoping a time-honoured Jose Mourinho motivational swipe at his own players will do the trick and the team's travails away from the capital improve.
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ROMA AND MOURINHO?
I Giallorossi host Udinese at the Stadio Olimpico this afternoon but will next have a chance to show they can do it on the road when they travel to Servette on Thursday looking to seal qualification to the Europa League knockout phase.
