Roma coach Jose Mourinho was delighted with his players after victory over Hellas Verona.
Ola Solbakken proved the matchwinner, with Mourinho speaking to his players in the centre circle at the end of the game.
Mourinho later said: “I congratulated all those who won, and all of them won. I think only Dybala and Darboe, and Tammy who went to hospital, weren’t there in the huddle.
“They won with team spirit, an incredible spirit of sacrifice, they played very well in the only way we can play against Verona, who make it very difficult to build moves. It is a very deserved victory for the lads, who really sacrificed themselves.
“I can say five or six of them played in Austria, Karsdorp hadn’t played for over two months, Spinazzola was coming off an injury, Bove was playing on a plastic pitch last season, Belotti only had a few bits of games, Solbakken is learning to play with us and get to know our team tactically, El Shaarawy has not played two games in a row for years, now he plays four or five whole matches until he is completely exhausted.
“Zalewski plays on the right, the left, the strikers move around too, I think people do not recognise what this team deserves.”
Mourinho also said: “I am just disappointed people do not give these lads the credit for the work we are all doing in very difficult circumstances. Either they don’t understand or they don’t want to understand the circumstances. I am grateful for everything they are doing.
“When the stadium is sold out like against Bodo/Glimt, then the stadium can win us the game. When it’s like today, it is a pity. People start jeering after 15-30 minutes over a misplaced pass. They do not understand what we are doing here.
“I said to Roma TV that when people look at our right-back, he is not Cafu or Maicon. If I am a Roma fan, I should carry Bove on my shoulders, because he is more of a Roma fan than they are. When I arrived, he was about to go on loan to a Serie C team, instead he is starting for Roma.
“You in general in the media are not helping. The others are phenomenons, we win because we are lucky or have set plays. I am old, I am 60 and have won plenty, I don’t need nice words. These lads, they need the nice words. They need praise.
“I am not here to criticise anyone, the fans should be there criticising me as the coach, but I have to protect my lads and they deserve more.”
